Local gym says business rates have soared by 260%

The owner of a small independent gym in Barwell says he's seen a dramatic rise in business rates, calling the increases “a bit of a joke”.

Iron Generation Gym, run by J. Wright, has seen its monthly bills skyrocket in recent years. According to the gym owner, what once cost £250 per month has now jumped to £907—a staggering 262.8% increase.

He says the latest figures, sent by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council for 2026, reflect a 39.5% hike over the previous year.

“These numbers are no longer just inconvenient—they’re ridiculous,” said Wright in a post to the gym's followers on Facebook. “Council-run leisure centres pay nothing in rates, yet our independent building is facing nearly a grand a month with nothing in return.”

Wright also criticised the council for what he describes as a lack of accountability. “They claim they don’t set the prices but have the discretion to offer discounts. It’s frustrating that small businesses like ours are left to shoulder these costs while larger, council-backed facilities are exempt.”

The gym owner urged the community to continue supporting independent businesses. “Every visit, every membership really does make a difference—especially when our so-called ‘overlords’ keep making such greedy demands,” he said.

Wright has also called on local representatives, including Dr. Luke Evans of Hinckley and Bosworth, to engage with the issue and consider measures to support small businesses struggling under rising rates.

Dr. Luke Evans acknowledged the concerns raised by Iron Generation Gym, responding in the post’s comments:

“Thank you for your message, I am sorry to read this. I have been raising my concerns about the impact of all the tax changes since both budgets in Parliament repeatedly, and will continue to do so. If you want to email me with more details I would be happy to get back to you specifically, and I am happy to arrange a meeting to come down to visit your gym to hear more. Do let me know luke.evans.mp@parliament.uk – have a good morning. Luke.”

A spokesperson for Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council told Fosse 107: 

"We recognise that many local businesses are under significant pressure and we share their concerns about the impact sharp increases in business rates can have on jobs, investment and our town centres.

 Business rates are set nationally by the UK Government. The council does not set rateable values, the multiplier or national reliefs (discounts); we administer the system locally, issue bills and collect payments as required by law.

We only keep a small proportion of the business rates we collect. For 2026/27, we forecast that just 5.4% of the business rates charged will be retained by HBBC; the remainder is paid to the Government, Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, and redistributed to other councils.

The Government also requires HBBC to apply a range of business rates discounts in line with national regulations. For 2026/27, we expect to award almost £4m in Small Business Rate Relief and around £3.1m in relief to charitable organisations. We will also apply reliefs worth about £0.8m for empty and partially occupied properties, and a further £0.7m of discounts to support small businesses.

 HBBC must apply the national rules consistently to every liable ratepayer in the borough, including Hinckley Leisure Centre.

 Like councils across the country, we are concerned about changes to Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief (RHLR). The discount reduced from 75% to 40% from April 2025 and ended completely from April 2026, alongside other national changes to multipliers.

In Hinckley and Bosworth, around 885 businesses have been affected, with many facing significant additional costs.

That is why we are working with partners and urging local MPs and the Chancellor to reconsider these changes and deliver fundamental reform of the business rates system to better support growth, investment and high streets.”

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