Originally published 2020-11-06.
In early November 2020, the British sports nutrition brand Grenade drove a tank to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The stunt was a protest against the closure of gyms during England's second national COVID-19 lockdown, which was announced on 31 October and ran from 5 November to 2 December 2020. The company argued that gyms protect both physical and mental health and should have been allowed to stay open.
The tank made for unforgettable photos, but behind it lay a serious debate that ran through the whole pandemic: how to weigh the risk of indoor transmission against the health benefits of regular exercise.
What happened in Westminster
Grenade, known for protein bars and supplements, shared pictures and video of the tank in central London on its official Instagram account on 3 November 2020, the day before MPs voted on the new restrictions.
A post shared by Grenade (@grenadeofficial) on
The timing was deliberate. On 4 November the House of Commons approved the second lockdown by a large majority, with only a few dozen MPs voting against. Gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres in England closed the next day, along with non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were setting their own rules, so the protest was aimed specifically at the government in Westminster, which decides health policy for England.
The case for keeping gyms open
In its statement, Grenade argued that fitness was not "just another sector" but something that directly supports people's wellbeing. It pointed to the mental health charity Mind, which had warned that the pandemic could be one of the greatest tests of the nation's mental health, and stressed the role of exercise in easing stress, anxiety and depression through the dark winter months.
The fitness industry made several related points. Many gyms had spent heavily on safety measures after reopening in July 2020: booking systems, fewer users at a time, spaced-out equipment, extra ventilation and cleaning stations. Industry bodies said their own data showed low rates of recorded infection linked to gyms, though those figures came from the sector itself and were not the same as independent scientific studies.
There is no doubt about the value of exercise itself. The NHS advises adults to aim for around 150 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, every week, plus muscle-strengthening work on at least two days. For people who rely on a gym for that, especially in the cold and dark, closures were a real loss.
The case for closing them
Government scientific advisers saw it differently. Gyms are indoor spaces where many people breathe heavily, sometimes for long periods, and share equipment. At a time when cases were rising fast, the aim of the lockdown was to cut contacts across society as a whole, not just in places with the worst outbreaks. Travel to and from gyms, often on public transport, added further contacts.
By early November 2020 tens of thousands of people in the UK had died after testing positive for COVID-19, and hospitals were again filling up. Supporters of the closures argued that a single infection picked up at a gym could be passed on to older or vulnerable relatives, or seed a new cluster. Outdoor exercise was never banned during this lockdown: people could still walk, run or cycle, and meet one other person from another household outside.
Did the protest change anything?
Not directly. The lockdown went ahead as planned. However, when it ended on 2 December 2020 and England returned to a tiered system, gyms were allowed to reopen in every tier, including the strictest one at the time. That reflected strong lobbying from the industry and a wider recognition of the role of exercise in public health.
Across the pandemic, the question of gyms became a test case for a wider dilemma. Restrictions are applied to whole categories of venue, because it is impossible to judge the risk inside each building in real time, and that inevitably feels unfair to the businesses that did everything right. The relief was short. Gyms closed again in England during the third national lockdown that began on 5 January 2021, and indoor gyms did not reopen until 12 April 2021, as part of step two of the government's roadmap out of lockdown.
Why the stunt worked as publicity
Protests at Parliament are common, but very few involve armoured vehicles. The image of a tank outside the Palace of Westminster, sent by a fitness brand, was tailor-made for social media and news photographers. It also played on the company's name, which already has a military ring to it.
Critics saw it as a marketing exercise dressed up as activism; supporters felt it captured the frustration of gym owners and staff who feared for their jobs. Either way, it became one of the more memorable images of a lockdown period otherwise defined by empty streets.
Staying active when gyms close
The debate left some lasting lessons for anyone who relies on a gym. Simple home routines with body-weight exercises, resistance bands or a pair of dumbbells can cover the strength part of the guidelines, while brisk walking, running or cycling outdoors covers the rest. Many gyms and trainers also moved classes online during the lockdowns, a habit that has partly stayed. If you have a health condition, talk to a doctor before starting a new routine.
Sources: Instagram post by Grenade (@grenadeofficial), 3 November 2020; LADbible (4 November 2020); Wikipedia, COVID-19 lockdowns in the United Kingdom; NHS, Physical activity guidelines for adults.
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