Tag: Fitness First

January 4th – Walsall and it’s boroughs can be very, very odd sometimes. Here in Walsall Wood, the planning system threw up a peculiar juxtaposition. Oak Park is the local leisure centre, with a large car park at the front, itself fronted once by an expanse of grass. Over the road, a private health centre converted from a former night club. Inbetween the two, a Kentucky Fried Chicken drive through was built, as if to mock the punters attempting to keep fit.

The construction of this unusually located fast food joint was protracted, and difficulties  in planning were extensive, but there it now sits in its red and white illuminated, plastic glory, attracting far more customers than both its healthy neighbours combined ever could.

And it smells revolting.

August 2nd – Walsall Wood’s branch of Fitness First, a national gym chain, used to be a nightclub. It has always had insufficient parking in the daytime, most of it being shared with the small group of shops on Streets Corner. The problem peaks around 6-7pm, when punters, desperate to park as close to the entrance as possible – after all, you wouldn’t want to get inadvertent exercise – leave cars on the pavement, blocking pedestrian access. Oddly, the local councillors and traffic enforcement folk appear to condone this, but get very uptight about parking in the High Street. 

All that effort to drive to the gym, getting caught in traffic and then the hassle of parking as close as you can. All in order to ride a stationary bicycle.