The culture secretary has indicated indoor gyms and leisure centres could reopen in the middle of July – four months after closing their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Oliver Dowden said it was the government’s “ambition” to reopen the facilities after the industry reacted with frustration at Boris Johnson’s “catastrophic decision” to give the green light to many sectors of the economy, but not gyms.
His intervention followed the prime minister’s announcement that pubs, restaurants, cinemas hotels and outdoor gyms in England can re-open from 4 July in the most significant relaxation of restrictions since the lockdown was imposed in March.
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While he said “most leisure facilities” will be able to welcome back customers, Mr Johnson told MPs: “Close proximity venues such as nightclubs, soft play areas, indoor gyms, swimming pools and spas will, I’m afraid, need to remain closed for now.”
“The business and culture secretaries will establish task forces with public health experts and the sectors to help them become Covid-secure and reopen as soon as possible.”
Earlier, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said gyms are staying shut “because of the level of activity that goes on, the number of surfaces that are touched, there’s a far greater risk of infection than one where people are stationary and breathing less hard and touching fewer surfaces”.
Mr Johnson’s comments prompted immediate anger from the industry, as the managing director of GLL, which runs 270 leisure and sport facilities on behalf of local authorities, described the decision not to reopen gyms on 4 July as “short sighted” and a “catastrophic mistake”.
“This will bad for business, bad for jobs and bad for the health of the nation,” Mark Sesnan added. “The government is ignoring the health of the nation, when it has been proven that conditions such as obesity and diabetes increase the risks associated with Covid-19.”
But after the prime minister’s statement, Mr Dowden posted a statement on his social media account attempting to ease the concerns of the industry.
“Many people keen to hit the gym and keeping Britain fit is key in Covid battle,” he said. “We’ve made lots of progress and I know steps businesses have taken to make their spaces and equipment safe.
The culture secretary added: “Subject to public health, our aspiration is to reopen gyms and leisure facilities in mid-July.”
Following Mr Johnson’s remarks, PureGym, one of the UK’s largest operators with more than a million members, said it was “extremely disappointed”, adding: “We understand that these decisions are not easy, but it is a strange ‘war on obesity’ that sees pubs and restaurants open before gyms.
“Our facilities are, on average, the size of five or six doubles tennis courts and are exceptionally well ventilated, enabling people to work and exercise safely and securely,” they said. “Through our existing electronic entry system, we know the names and details of every single member in our facilities at any moment.”
