Celebrities have rushed to endorse a gym’s petition to save its headquarters.

Stars including Olly Murs, Vicky Pattinson and Marvin Humes have encouraged signatures for an online petition that has so far gathered more than 8,500 signatures.

Gym and assault course business VIP: HQ in Stapleford Abbots, Epping Forest, submitted a planning application to Epping Forest District Council council last year to change the use of land where the business is based.

Although the land is designated as agricultural use, VIP-HQ has traded on the site for the past two years.

In a planning application to officially change this and expand, the company proposed to change a hectare of land from agricultural use to leisure use and add a gymnasium, assault course and parking area.

After planning permission was denied, VIP-HQ appealed to the Secretary of State in June but recently learned it had lost the appeal.

The council last week issued the business with a six-month enforcement notice to vacate the land.

The fitness company is now legally required to vacate the land in June because it is not using it for its designated purpose.

The land is owned by co-owner of the business Luke Kousoulou, father of Towie star Georgia, and Danny-Lee Finch.

Losing the appeal sparked Mr Finch into action – he launched an online petition four days ago which has so far gained 8,598 signatures.

Mr Finch, 30, said: “My plan is to fully get the community behind us to show why a business like this is so important.

“I don’t have another plan - when plan A is so good why would I make another?

“I find it incredibly sad that we are a country in crisis in terms of obesity and yet the council and government are closing places that are actively trying to help that.”

“We have one more application to make amendments for planning and now need to make some noise and get the backing from our local community.

Many celebrities and members of the public have backed the online petition including Towie stars Tommy Mallet and Georgia Kousoulou.

Mr Finch claims that he has worked with Havering Council and is in discussions with Epping Forest District Council about hosting events at his venue next year.

He said: “It’s ironic really because we have worked or will be working with both Havering and Epping Forest on projects to fight obesity in the area, but at the same time Epping Forest council are trying to close us down."