Bill Montgomery, who formerly ran Gym and Tonic in Devizes Market Place has not paid back membersA NUMBER of former members of a Devizes gym are still waiting to be reimbursed 15 months after it closed.

Billy's Gym and Tonic, based above the One Stop Shop in the Market Place, shut without warning in February 2004.

Gym owner Bill Montgomery promised to refund all fees paid in advance by members but this week refused to comment when the Gazette contacted him.

A few months after the closure of the gym Mr Montgomery opened a new business, a gay men's sauna in Bath, called The Suite.

Anne Ball and her husband Peter, of The Fairway, Devizes, say they are owed £295 by Mr Montgomery and are prepared to take him to court to recover the money. They paid £590 for a two year joint membership a year before the gym closed.

Mrs Ball, a school receptionist, said: "I spoke to Mr Montgomery on the phone in March and he said he was intending to give us back our money. I asked him when and he said when he got everything sorted. He sounded quite convincing.

"We are considering taking him to the small claims court as we don't feel we should be out of pocket. We think it is very unfair considering we have paid our money in good faith and have kept our side of the contract."

Jean Brind, a great grandmother of Estcourt Street, Devizes, says she is owed around £286 after she joined a year before the gym closed.

Mrs Brind, 72, said: "It's annoying, I've not had anything from Mr Montgomery since the gym closed. It's a shame it closed because I enjoyed going there and exercising eased my arthritis."

Tony Deakin, 54, of Mayenne Place, Devizes, also joined on two year membership and said he is owed £147.50.

Mr Deakin, a catering manager, said: "The last time I spoke to Mr Montgomery was in November when he said it was in the hands of solicitors and it was all being sorted and I should get the money in a week to ten days but I received nothing.

"If he had gone bankrupt I could understand that he hasn't got the money to pay me but he has used the money to set himself up in Bath and that isn't right."

Lynda Langley, of West Lavington, said she is owed around £150 by Mr Montgomery.

Ms Langley, 57, a school receptionist, said: "I paid for a two year membership with cash because I didn't want to be charged interest on my credit card. I have written to Mr Montgomery and I haven't heard anything. I think it's disgusting, it feels like a big con."

Jonathan Collis has issued county court proceedings against Mr Montgomery for almost £2,000 which he said his company, JCS Air Conditioning Services Limited of Devizes, is owed by Mr Montgomery concerning work it did at The Suite in Bath.

Mr Collis, who employs two staff, said: "He has had every opportunity to pay us but he won't give us the time of day."

In October the Gazette spoke to Mr Montgomery when he said he had refunded 400 former members and intended to repay the rest.

The Gazette rang Mr Montgomery at The Suite this week to ask for his comments on the money he owes to former gym members and Mr Collis.

Mr Montgomery said: "I have no comments to make, I can't be arsed."