25 January 2023 , 09:22
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A loyal gym goer has been fined £1,000 and had her membership cancelled for life after accidentally dropping and smashing her water bottle.
Fitness fan Caroline Farish has slammed Bannatyne - owned by former Dragons Den star Duncan - after she was told to never come back following an investigation.
The 36-year-old, who has been a member for 10 years, felt like she had been treated like “a criminal” by the company.
Ms Farish, a business property owner and part-time high school teacher from Dumfries, Scotland, was horrified to find that the plastic water bottle contained a glass nozzle inside which broke.
She was about to unwind in the pricey club's jacuzzi when she dropped it and it was to be the last time she enjoyed the facilities.
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She claims she had no idea there was glass in her plastic water bottle (Dumfries and Galloway Standard)She said: “It was a complete accident and happened when I was with a friend and heading for the jacuzzi. It was nowhere near the pool.
“I immediately told the manager and staff who hoovered it up. It happened at night and there were only a few other people around.
“I could easily have left it to be cleaned up but I was honest and told them.
“But then I got a letter from Bannatyne’s giving me seven days to put in a statement of what happened.
“I did that but have had no acknowledgement, only a letter saying I am banned from life from the premises and the car park plus they want me to pay £1,000 for the draining and cleaning of the pool which they said was closed for eight days.
Now she has been fined and told never to come back after dropping the canister on the floor (Dumfries and Galloway Standard)“The accident happened on December 20 about 8pm. They have told me that their insurance would not cover this kind of thing.
“I was given a deadline of January 21 to pay up or face some kind of action but I have contacted Citizens Advice who put me in touch with the consumer rights people and they say to check my contract with the gym.
“I am anxious about what happens after the deadline as they say it is a debt. I feel like I’m being treated like a criminal.
“They even took my bottle off me as if it was forensics for a murder case!”
She insisted: “I am a professional business woman with properties in the town and not a stupid wee girl.
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The plush heath club is owned by former Dragon Duncan Bannatyne (Getty)“It was a complete accident and I am being treated as if I had taken in a wine glass.
“Now I have been left with nowhere to go and just feel like they have humiliated me and I feel embarrassed about the whole thing. I used to go there four times a week and I’m a long standing member.
“Something needs to be done about this.
“But, to be honest, even if they apologise to me and invite me back I would say no. I will never go back to Bannatyne’s.”
A spokesperson for the Edinburgh Road health club said: “We treat breaches of our club rules very seriously.
“There are strict safety rules regarding bringing any glass items poolside to protect the safety of all our members.
“When broken glass gets into the pool it takes up to 36 hours to completely drain and refill the pool, meaning the actions of one person impacts significantly on every member.
“The signage is clear and the sanctions that may be imposed are displayed within the health club.”