New COVID-19 guidelines in New York are requiring gyms and health clubs to shut their doors no later than 10 p.m., but Retro Fitness CEO Andrew Alfano said the move is unnecessary and gyms are essential to maintaining health.
Last Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo instituted the curfew for gyms as well as in-person restaurant and bar services, but Alfano says fitness centers should not be lumped together with eateries.
Additionally, he questioned the usefulness of curfews and pointed out that overnight shift workers, such as police officers, firefighters, and healthcare workers who use gyms late in the evening, are likely to be those most affected by the new guidelines.
“This is a non-discriminating disease. It does not discriminate against the population and it certainly doesn’t know the time. So [there's no difference] before 10 p.m. or after 10 p.m.,” Alfano continued, noting that the chain has asked Cuomo to reconsider the curfew.
New York isn't the only city restricting gym use. Oregon and cities such as Philadelphia and San Francisco have also announced plans to close or restrict gym hours as the latest wave of COVID-19 reaches new heights.
Alfano's message to governors considering a complete shutdown of health and fitness facilities: don't. He noted that unlike the locales restricting gym access, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was among the first onboard to reopen, a move Alfano supports.
He stressed the importance of exercise and maintaining health even as the pandemic persists. "There is more to public health than just a virus. There's mental health. There's physical health."
After earlier restrictions were lifted, Alfano said Retro Fitness saw an uptick in business with new member enrollments recently up 20 percent.
“Our September, if you can imagine this, in the midst of a pandemic, we had the best September in franchise sales since September 2013, and we had our best overall month since 2017,” he noted.
The company is looking to build on its recovery with plans to incorporate a hybrid option that allows members to complete workout sessions at home.
Alfano also announced that the company will be partnering with a trained chef to provide members with access to healthy food prep videos via YouTube.
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Spain's government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros or $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals. The consumer rights ministry announced the fine on Monday. The ministry stated that many listings lacked proper license numbers or included incorrect information. The move is part of Spain's ongoing efforts to regulate short-term rental companies amid a housing affordability crisis especially in popular urban areas. The ministry ordered Airbnb in May to remove around 65,000 listings for similar violations. The government's consumer rights minister emphasized the impact on families struggling with housing. Airbnb said it plans to challenge the fine in court.
Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but says that it doesn’t expect any disruptions to devices as the more than 30-year-old company is taken private under a restructuring process. iRobot said that it is being acquired by Picea through a court-supervised process. Picea is the company's primary contract manufacturer. The Bedford, Massachusetts-based anticipates completing the prepackaged chapter 11 process by February.
Serbia’s prosecutor for organized crime has charged a government minister and three others with abuse of position and falsifying of documents related to a luxury real estate project linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. The charges came on Monday. The investigation centers on a controversy over a a bombed-out military complex in central Belgrade that was a protected cultural heritage zone but that is facing redevelopment as a luxury compound by a company linked to Kushner. The $500 million proposal to build a high-rise hotel, offices and shops at the site has met fierce opposition from experts at home and abroad. Selakovic and others allegedly illegally lifted the protection status for the site by falsifying documentation.
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A rare magnum of Dom Pérignon Vintage 1961 champagne that was specially produced for the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana has failed to sell during an auction. Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen handled the bidding Thursday. The auction's house website lists the bottle as not sold. It was expected to fetch up to around $93,000. It is one of 12 bottles made to celebrate the royal wedding. Little was revealed about the seller. The auction house says the bids did not receive the desired minimum price.
