Ireland rugby legend forced to close his business ‘with immediate effect’

An Ireland rugby legend has been forced to close the doors of his business.

A Cork gym co-owned by former Munster and Ireland rugby star Peter Stringer is to shut its doors for good with immediate effect, leaving members scrambling for answers over their money.

F45 Elysian , based in the landmark Elysian Tower in Cork city, told members late on Sunday night that it was closing at once and being placed into liquidation.

In an email to members, signed by directors Paul Buckley and Peter Stringer , the gym said it was shutting "with great regret".

The company that runs it, Brisbane Fitness Investment Company Limited, "is unable to continue trading and will be placed into creditors’ voluntary liquidation", the message said.

All memberships ended immediately and classes were cancelled on the spot, the email confirmed, with the directors apologising "for any inconvenience" and thanking members for their ‘support and loyalty’.

The sudden nature of the closure has left members facing uncertainty over their money.

While the gym said no further payments would be taken, some members have reported being charged their monthly fee only shortly before the shutdown was announced.

Anyone who had paid for their membership in advance for a period beyond the closing date "may have a claim as a creditor of the company", the email said.

However, it warned that any payout "will depend on the funds available in the liquidation", meaning refunds are far from guaranteed.

F45 Elysian, which opened in 2022 in a 3,150 sq ft unit at the Elysian, is a franchise of the Australian fitness giant F45, which operates thousands of gyms worldwide.

Ex Ireland player Peter Stringer. (Photo by Kieran Galvin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The company stressed that other F45 branches in Ireland are unaffected by the closure.

Stringer, one of Munster’s most decorated players, moved to Dubai with his family around four years ago but remains a regular visitor to Ireland.

Photo: Ireland's Captain Brian O'Driscoll (L) holds The Six Nations trophy alongside Ireland's Peter Stringer (R) holding The Triple Crown (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP via Getty Images)