‘They’ve failed to show any real understanding of my business’

The owner of a business who has been asked to vacate his current premises in Ashton Court despite investing £50,000 in it says he is “deflated” that options offered to him, including a former public toilet, are completely unsuitable.

Rayan Wilson has run Back2Action since 2011, but says he was given just four months’ notice by Bristol City Council to relocate his business in an attempt to maximise revenues from parks amid crippling budget cuts. He must leave his current location by December 19.

Since receiving notice that his lease would not be renewed, Rayan has continued to contact the council, hoping to come to an agreement on a new home for his specialist elite training centre. So far he has been offered a building in an allotment in Stapleton and a former public toilet in Bedminster’s Greville Smyth Park, but says neither will fit his needs.

“Being offered a public toilet suggests a lack of respect and understanding from the council,” Rayan told Bristol24/7. “They’ve failed to show any real understanding or awareness of the kinds of clients we’re bringing in and it feels like they’re not interested in the work that we’re doing for the community in Bristol.”

Rayan doesn’t have the funds required to convert these former public toilets in Greville Smyth Park

Rayan has also been shown a building in an allotment in Stapleton, but he quickly discovered that it “wasn’t even close” to being an adequate base for a sports training centre. “I’ve been in portacabins that are stronger,” he says. “The building is made of plasterboard and isn’t fit for purpose. Even the council officer agreed that we would be better off making a new building than using the allotment.”

This building in an allotment in Stapleton would need to be rebuilt with a stronger structure to allow Rayan to run his business

Although Rayan is still on the hunt for a new location for his business, he remains committed to continuing his work in the community and to staying in Bristol. He said that he has been offered opportunities to move his business into London but enjoys the work he’s doing locally, including providing work experience, working with children and employing seven members of staff.

Back2Action have been lauded for their community work, bringing in elite clients from football clubs such as Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea to assist with programmes that mentor local children.

“We set up with a vision for the company for the very start,” Rayan says. “Although losing our space is a very huge blip, it just means that we have to work harder to find other means to continue that vision. It’s very hard especially given the money we’ve already spent.”

Rayan says Back2Action has received a tremendous outpouring of support from Bristolians, athletes and local business, which is motivating him to continue to try and keep his business going. He also hopes to work with the council to help meet both of their interests.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “In February 2018 we contacted the owners of the privately run Back2Action gym to inform them that the council may not renew their lease, as other options for the site were being explored. We then contacted the business owners in July 2018 to confirm that the council would not be renewing the lease.

“As part of our work to manage council’s finances in the face of reducing government funding we are looking at how we can do things differently around the city to make sure we can work efficiently and protect front line service which people rely on.  Ashton Court is a major asset and by changing the way we use it we hope to ensure it can get better value for money for the city.

“We have offered the owners of this private gym help to find new premises within our other parks as part of this work.”

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