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UK fitness industry overlooked in business rate relief U-turn

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By Kath Hudson    28 Jan 2026

Sector representative body, UK Active, has expressed frustration that the UK government has overlooked the health and fitness industry in a U-turn over increases in business rates.

On 27 January it was announced that pubs and music venues will receive a 15 per cent discount on their business rates from April and will not see increases for two years. The government has also promised to review how pubs are assessed by the Valuation Office Agency ahead of the next revaluation of premises in 2029.

This move is in response to a backlash from the hospitality industry and representation by the Institute of Hospitality led by chair, Kate Nicholls.

Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has said “the government listens when people raise concerns”, while Treasury Minister, Dan Tomlinson, has described pubs as being the cornerstone of communities. 

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Meanwhile, some health and fitness operators are facing rate rises of up to 60 per cent in April. 

The situation has echoes of the pandemic when pubs opened before health clubs and people were incentivised to go to them with the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which was later found to have been a COVID super-spreader event.

Huw Edwards, CEO of UK Active, said: “Health and fitness clubs see 600 million visits a year, but the Chancellor’s decision completely undermines this industry success story. 

“In a time of growing health inequalities, these facilities have taken pressure off the NHS and helped to grow employment and high street renewal. 

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“This announcement takes a narrow view of the support required by businesses, ignoring the immediate pressure facing fitness and leisure facilities across the UK.  

“The Chancellor seems to have forgotten that gyms, pools and leisure centres were also closed during the pandemic and without further protection operators have told us their business rates will rise by as much as 60 per cent. This will force many to increase prices for customers, heightening the risk of reduced services, redundancies and in some cases the loss of gyms and pools from our communities entirely. 

“These essential community facilities [are already facing] the impact of two regressive Budgets which have piled on operational costs and suffocated employment opportunities. 

“We need an immediate package of support which is inclusive of fitness and leisure facilities or the Government will damage this sector and the health of the nation.

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Monday gallop to shape Gin Twist’s 2026 campaign

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The decision on whether Gin Twist forges ahead to another start or enters a spell phase hinges on her performance in a track gallop.

Lindsay Park’s two-year-old filly is a potential runner in Saturday’s Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, contingent on a satisfying showing in Monday’s gallop.

She was the hot favourite dispatched in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington March 28, leading early before stopping to take third.

Ben, Will and J D Hayes prepare Gin Twist, who was accounted for by more than three lengths by the Sydney mare Satono Glow.

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Ben Hayes mentioned optimism surrounds the filly’s readiness for Saturday, as she exhibits no adverse aftereffects from the race.

“We’ll make a decision on Monday whether she runs or not after she does some work,” Hayes said.

“We feel that one, she raced a bit fresh last week and two, she didn’t handle the heavy track, but she has pulled up fine.

“It is a good opportunity for her and if she doesn’t work well, we won’t run her, but if she works well, we’ll run her.”

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The filly had previously claimed the Listed Festival Stakes (1000m) victory at Flemington on February 28, and was next in line as third emergency for Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21.

Lindsay Park refrained from interstate travel for her, aware a start was improbable.

Hayes is of the view that Gin Twist copes with 1200m and merits another attempt on a good track.

“I think she is a very fast horse, and 1200 metres is her limit,” Hayes said.

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“But it is hard to judge her off that run over 1200 metres, which was down the straight, and on a heavy eight (track).

“We can find out if she can the trip and then we’ll know how to place her next prep.”

Secure the best value with betting sites offering markets for the Redoute’s Choice Stakes.

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Liv Morgan breaks character to discuss her relationship with Rhea Ripley

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Liv Morgan broke character to comment on her relationship with WWE star Rhea Ripley. Both Ripley and Morgan will be challenging for major titles at WrestleMania 42.

In an interview with Esteban Ramirez, Liv Morgan broke character to comment on her relationship with Rhea Ripley. The Judgment Day star noted that she knew her former rival was going to be a star while they were in NXT together and left Ripley her locker when she got called up to the main roster.

“Rhea and I have quite a bit of lore. I remember back in the Performance Center when I saw her, I knew that she was gonna be a star. It was just very evident to me. So when I had gotten called up to the main roster, I had left Rhea my locker. I told her, ‘You can have my locker, you can move your stuff into my locker.’ She didn’t even have a locker yet,” said Morgan.

The Women’s Royal Rumble winner added that they will always be connected and compared their rivalry to Batman and The Joker.

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“I came back on the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour and took everything that she loved including Dominik, the Judgment Day and the Women’s World Championship. So I feel like we are both the heroes and villains in each other’s stories. She is the Batman to my Joker, and I am the villain in her hero’s story, and she is the villain in my hero’s story,” she added. [H/T: WrestleTalk on X]

You can check out the interview in the video below:

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Morgan will be challenging Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 42.

Liv Morgan comments on recent WWE injury

WWE RAW star Liv Morgan recently discussed her injury last year that caused her to miss several months of WWE television.

In an interview with Brad Gilmore, the 31-year-old noted that the injury was devastating for her last year as she was on an upward trajectory. The WWE veteran added that she was upset about the situation during her hiatus last year.

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“I do feel like in the moment that I got injured, I was on a very upward trajectory. And so the injury obviously devastated me. I was very, very angry the whole entire time I had off time,” she said.

Liv Morgan says she was “angry the whole time” when she was recovering from shoulder injury: “I was mad the whole entire time,” Morgan said. “I got injured in a moment [when] I had multiple things going on for me. I was really enjoying and loving what I was doing. So to have all

Only time will tell if Liv Morgan can defeat Stephanie Vaquer to become champion once again at WWE WrestleMania.