A SPA salon sparked a storm of protest and a visit from police when it announced it was opening for a free ‘wellness day’ at its town centre premises, in breach of lockdown regulations.

More than 2,000 comments were made on social media in response to the announcement by Spa Rituals in Coleford’s Market Place, with some posters labelling it a “disgrace”, “stupid” and “irresponsible.”

Police visited the premises on Friday and warned the business it and anyone who attended the event planned for the following day would be liable for a £200 fine.

And on Saturday lunchtime when The Forester visited Market Place, two officers in a police van were keeping watch on the other side of the road and the premises appeared closed, with no one queuing outside.

Citing the ‘Be Kind’ movement, the spa had offered free wellness day sessions as part of an online anti-lockdown ‘Great Reopening’ campaign, including guided meditation, yoga with Kishe from Wildwood Yoga, shoulder massage, a self-reflexology tutorial, reki and coffee, tea and cake.

It said: “No fees, just people being with people in a caring space. Show up for the slot that you are interested in or spend all day with us.”

But while some backed the event, saying it was time to start lifting lockdown restrictions, it also caused a tsunami of criticism online, with police later visiting the premises to explain the law after the owner had said she saw nothing wrong with holding the day to improve people’s mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health.

In a statement, Gloucestershire Police said on Friday: “We are aware that a business in Market Place, Coleford has said that it will reopen tomorrow (Saturday, January 30).

“The local policing team has engaged with the business and stressed that this would be against current Covid legislation.

“Officers will be in the area tomorrow and will be issuing fines if the shop is reopened as advertised against our warnings.

“Please be aware that if you are visiting the shop as a customer you will also be liable to a £200 fine.

“And while we understand there are many views and strong concerns in relation to this issue, anyone gathering outside or nearby the shop unnecessarily will also be risking a fine, so we would urge people not to do so.”

Chief Inspector Rich Pitman added: “We would urge people to read the rules around the latest lockdown at www.gov.uk/coronavirus and remind everyone that where we discover flagrant breaches of the legislation we will be issuing fines.

“We are in the middle of a public health crisis and the Constabulary is committed to playing its part in reducing infection levels of the virus in the county.”

Prior to the police visit, Spa Rituals massage therapist owner Claire Louise Lynam had told the hundreds who criticised the event online she was disgusted with the government “and the fact they have turned people against one another”.

In a statement on her own Facebook page, she said: “I understand that my decision has so far upset many people and at the same time filled some with hope.

“I made the decision to open on Saturday firstly to offer community, healing, togetherness, acceptance at a time when mental illness is rife.

“This is something I have been thinking of doing for weeks. My second aim for Saturday is to take part in a movement that has been named the great re-opening.”

She claimed in her statement that much of the evidence and reporting around Covid was flawed.

“Will I do everything I can as one individual who can see that the current laws have been built on inaccurate data to try to encourage our Government to make changes and support those who have been disregarded? Yes.” she added.

“That being said, my priority for Saturday was to offer support to strengthen mental health and provide a caring, calm, comfortable supportive space filled with tranquility and peace.

“Now I ask myself if the environment will now in fact be filled with angst, worry, stress and anticipation of attack.

“As created by the people who have been encouraged to police their neighbour as clearly represented on Spa Rituals’ Facebook page.

“I will continue to consider this over the coming days and will continue in my fight to expose the truth.”

A post on the business’s Facebook page said: “For all you people on this page hurling, abuse have you ever done any research?… Lockdown and Tiers are American prison terms. It’s the first time in history that the healthy have been quarantined, it’s usually the sick.

“This virus has a 99.7 per cent survival rate, so why on earth should people be locked up?”

Some backed that view, with one poster saying: “Covid is the new religious fanaticism.”

But other critical comments included “ridiculous”, “selfish” and “disgusting”.

One poster said: “Very sad to read, these people have no idea what it’s like to be directly affected by Covid.

“It breaks my heart to know that they may spread infection to others along with so much nastiness and hurtful, personal insults to some of those affected. So so sad.”

Another stormed: “But it is not your decision to reopen!! The government have instructed businesses to close in the lockdown!!

“The be kind movement is irrelevant in your decision because you are being selfish and disregarding the health of people.”

One said: “Opening in the name of mental health will only impact the mental health of the majority further when cases increase and lockdown is extended.”

One woman posted on Saturday afternoon: “Police all around the shop and at the back entrance, Coleford is surrounded by police.”