The row over the future of TJs Gym in Lake intensified this week, with The Porter Club claiming TJs has not paid any rent, insurance and upkeep on the premises.

Howegver the gym owners say they have been paying rent to a third party.

The Porter Club statement comes following a recent fundraising campaign launched by the gym, to cover legal fees for an upcoming court case. 

TJ's Gym owner, Steve Marsh, has strongly denied these claims. 

He says his business has no landlord and tenant relationship directly with the Porter Club, and hasn't received an insurance invoice from the club since 2018/19.

Read the full statements below.

He also claims he has never received an invoice for maintenance and repair contributions, and no repair/maintenance work has been undertaken during his six years at the premises. 

The Porter Club says it felt it "had no choice but to commence forfeiture proceedings", due to Steve Marsh's alleged failure to pay rent, insurance and upkeep.

Last month, Steve said The Porter Club — understood to be the registered freeholder of the property — planned to forfeit the lease.

The club operates from the rear of the building, and it means the gym is under threat of closure, and is seeking support to help cover legal fees.

What did the Isle of Wight's Porter Club have to say?

“The management committee of the Porter Club is aware of a crowdfunding scheme set up by Steve Marsh, director of TJ's Gym," said a spokesperson for the Porter Club.

"The Gofundme page has been set up to encourage people to pay for Mr Marsh’s legal fees and prevent the repossession.

"The Porter Club and its committee — all working class, decent, local people — have been falsely painted as a ‘Goliath’ with no care for its tenants, nor any consideration for the effect it will have on them. 

"However, it is a pity that Mr Marsh did not notify the good people of Lake and across the Isle of Wight that the tenants have not paid any rent since the date he and his company moved in more than six years ago. 

"To be clear, that is £0.00 paid to the Porter Club, as the landlord, since he and his company took over the building.

"The tenants have paid only one initial contribution to the insurance since Mr Marsh and his company moved in, as required by the lease to be paid each year.

"Furthermore, the tenants have not contributed any monies to the upkeep/repair of the building since Mr Marsh and his company moved in, as required by the lease.

"The Porter Club has allowed its tenants many years' grace to rectify these failures and has made honest and reasonable attempts to rectify the breaches for several years, but unfortunately, as of the end of April, 2022, we can confirm that neither the rent nor the insurance or payments to upkeep/repair have been made by the tenants at all, including all back payments still due. 

"Therefore, sadly, and after much deliberation, the committee felt it had no choice but to commence forfeiture proceedings, and will continue to do so.

"The committee will not be making any further statements until the conclusion of the court case."

What did the Isle of Wight's TJ's Gym have to say?

"I have no landlord and tenant relationship directly with the Porter Club," said Steve. 

"They sold a 999-year leasehold interest to Mr Li of Asian Fusion on 17 December, 2010, for approximately £180,000. 

"Mr Li has an obligation to pay £1.00 a year to the club. We pay Mr Li many thousand times that in rent each year.

"We are Mr Li’s lessee and he is what’s referred to as the headlessee; the club is the freeholder. 

"It sounds complicated, but legally it’s not that uncommon, many people sublet their properties.

"We paid insurance contributions in 2017/18 and also in 2018/19, but we haven’t received an insurance invoice from the club since 2018/19. 

"Prior to that, they received a payment for each invoice. 

"Technically, they should be invoicing Mr Li, and he should then recover from us.

"Regarding maintenance and repair contributions, we have not received one invoice in this regard since the commencement of our occupation, so we’re unsure precisely what they are referring to, particularly as they’ve undertaken absolutely no repairs or maintenance to the building during he past six years.

"The roof is and has throughout our time in the building been condemned by many roofing specialists as unfit for purpose. 

"We have continually had to deal with leaks, and the Porter Club has paid the contractors we have engaged to deal with this. 

"However, the leaking roof has caused us horrendous loss and business disturbance, which we have separately addressed, directly with Mr Li.

"They are aware of the fact that their allegations are unfounded and untrue."