Basic-Fit is forced by the French government to close about a third of the gyms in the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dutch gym chain does not agree with that decision and has started legal proceedings, the company reports Monday.
Of the 445 branches that Basic-Fit has in France, it has to close 148 for a period of two weeks. These are schools in major cities, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Toulouse. The forced shutdown is part of a package of measures by the French government to curb the outbreak of COVID-19.
According to Basic-Fit, the closure is not necessary at all, as there would be no evidence that the virus is spreading in gyms. The company also says it has had 11 million visitors to the gyms in France alone since they reopened in June, with no outbreak.
Basic-Fit hopes to obtain permission to reopen the gyms as soon as possible through legal proceedings. The chain does not expect that the provisional closure will cause financial problems. The company has 175 million euros in cash to continue to pay for expenses.
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