Yesterday, this paper carried a front-page report about a celebrity trainer who has shut down a fitness centre in Bandra. The closure came without warning and miffed members approached a police station to recover their membership fees from the fitness trainer. They were turned away and asked to approach a consumer court instead.

Consumer courts are, of course, an avenue open to the public, but this case highlights a larger issue at play. Some years ago, the fitness industry took off in a big way in the city, with gyms mushrooming in every nook and corner. But no regulatory body was established to bring a more professional approach to the business of fitness. This has become all the more important now, as the fitness bubble seems to have burst. Even though gyms and fitness studios have become part of the urban landscape, many have shut down, unable to cope with crippling rent and exorbitant maintenance costs.