GYM users have been given a health and cash boost after a landmark VAT ruling.

GYM users have been given a health and cash boost after a landmark VAT ruling.

The 19,000 members of the Glasgow Club, the gym and fitness package run by Culture and Sport Glasgow, will no longer have to stump up extra fees for non-core activities, such as health suites and saunas.

Leisure trusts in North and South Lanarkshire Council have also lifted the additional health suite payments.

The u-turn follows an earlier ruling by HM Revenue and Customs in 2007 that sporting activities provided by not for profit organisations such as Culture and Sport were exempt from VAT but health suites were not.

The good news for fitness fans - which will also apply to other leisure clubs run by councils and trusts - is the result of a lengthy legal battle between sports bosses and HMRC.

Glasgow Club holders have been sent a letter explaining they will no longer be liable for the health suite payments.

The extra charges amounted to £1 for each visit or around £4.20 a month for a separate health suite membership on top of their yearly membership of £357.

Annual paying members who have paid in advance for the non-core activities will be given the equivalent in days, added to their membership.

In a further boost for gym users Culture and Sport Glasgow has also frozen membership fees this year.

The Glasgow Club is Scotland's largest health and leisure club, with more than 20 facilities available across the city for members to use.

Liz Cameron, Culture and Sport Glasgow chairwoman, said: "This is great news for all 19,000 members of the Glasgow Club, who will again benefit from having unlimited health suite use as part of their membership at no extra charge."

Glasgow Culture and Sport has also introduced a range of new services for pass holders, including online booking for classes and free five-day trials for friends of membership holders.

The Evening Times is also helping readers fight the flab and get fit with some fantastic giveaways.

The countdown to the Glasgow Women's 10k gets under way tomorrow and we will publish all you need to know about the race.

Readers will be offered a free Scottish Slimmers membership and recipe book on Friday. In Saturday's paper we will be giving away passes for top leisure club Esporta.