by Anna White
awhite@thekmgroup.co.uk

Personal trainers are expected to pay £30 and book in advance if they wish to teach clients in Mote Park – in case the 444-acre open space gets double-booked.

Trainer Ben Ashworth discovered the bizarre rule after being stopped by a council worker in the Maidstone park, while training just one client.

The 22-year-old said: “It doesn’t make sense to charge people to get fit and healthy in an open space. It’s not like I was holding a class with loads of people. I was only with one client.”

A Maidstone council spokesman said they liked trainers to pay in advance to “ensure that they have insurance and that areas are not double-booked”.

Despite Mr Ashworth being challenged when he only had one client, the spokesman said officers would only normally intervene if more than two people were being trained.

But she also admitted there was “no set policy”.

Daniel Young, (pictured above) of BodyElite Personal Training, who also uses Mote Park for training sessions said the over-regulation would make people think twice about using the space.

The council spokesman insisted its officers did not routinely patrol the areas but will approach trainers and request to see their relevant documents if they spot someone. The fees apply to all council-owned parks.