When do you expect gyms to reopen?

[Sweetnlow]

Just that really.

When do you expect gyms/leisure centres to reopen?

Before schools? After pubs and restaurants?

[blossombabies]

probably one of the last places to open in my opinion.

[Magpiefeather]

I would say at the same time as pubs and restaurants.

[Walkacrossthesand]

I think re-opening will be subject to ability to offer & enforce social distancing. So gyms and spacious restaurants will be before nightclubs and small bars. I think 1:1 contact such as hairdressing, non urgent domestic repair people, etc, might be allowed quite early too, subject to mask wearing. It will be cautiously done, one change at a time with a 3-4 week window after each change to allow for the effect to be seen. I've no idea how they'll approach re-opening schools....

[PilatesPeach]

Hoping that it will be safe for them to re-open in the medium term as I'm an instructor so it is my living teaching classes - the classes I teach are not really suitable for Zoom. It is not just gym bunnies wanting them open but of course we will see what the exit plan and timing is.

[Sweetnlow]

Do you think people will go back in the same numbers as before or will lots of previous gym users change to home workouts?

[devildeepbluesea]

With most gyms it's fairly easy to achieve the 2m gap between people, especially if class sizes are numbered (but in all honesty I'm thinking about the gym proper). Strict enforcement of the requirement to wipe down equipment, should be relatively easy to reopen.

[Mascotte]

I don’t know but I’m hoping ASAP

[P1nkHeartLovesCake]

Probably one of the last places as In my gym at least you have a high number of people close together and when they do open your find some machines removed for social distancing I reckon. Class sizes will also need to be limited to keep the 2m apart,

Pubs & restaurants will be the very last thing to open, they are just to risky

[PinkBuffalo]

I hate working out at home via zoom. My coaches are great but it sucks big time. I get really upset about it! I not sure when they reopen though.

[PilatesPeach]

Class sizes will have to be reduced - the week before lockdown they were reduced to 50%. Also I teach some classes that are exclusively for seniors or predominantly attended by seniors and I do wonder if they will return to the timetable if they are advised to carry on with staying at home. Before CV, they were bursting with attendees.
Equipment too is an issue - some gyms have a spray bottle & tissue - everyone picking up the same dirty bottle or cleaning the weights and bars then putting them away with their dirty hands.

Long before CV, gyms were a hotbed for germs, mostly fairly benign.

[480Widdio]

I am desperate to get back to my daily swim.I am doing online stuff but it’s not the same.

Really hoping gyms will be one of the first places to be opened.

[lljkk]

My bet is swim pools will be same as gyms so one of the last places, when pubs can open, basically. I had not cancelled my swim membership but thinking I should, now. £20/month for nothing.

[Walkacrossthesand]

Has your swim club not paused your membership, lljkk?

[lljkk]

it's a council owned leisure centre run by private company, so I don't know what the status is. There's no one to answer the phone, is there.

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

Swimming pools were thought to be safe due to the Chlorine. Gyms seemed more risky with numerous people touching equipment etc. I'm hoping swim lessons can restart relatively soon.

(My DCs swim membership, privately run council place, are suspended at the moment)

[Nameofchanges]

I won’t go back to the gym again after this. It’s unnecessary contact.

[Walkaround]

I’d love to have access to badminton and tennis courts again. I mean, it’s not exactly difficult to stay a reasonable distance apart from others when playing badminton and tennis. Swimming lessons, on the other hand - how on earth can you effectively teach someone to swim if you aren’t allowed within 2m of them?

[PilatesPeach]

It is also changing rooms that are a risk but as it is my living, yes I will go back as soon as the classes resume.

[LaurieFairyCake]

I only want to go back to the gym if it's safe (and by safe I mean antibody test or vaccine) so I don't want them to start charging us £180 a month again

But I bet I won't be allowed to cancel it as I'm in a year contract until November

[B1rdbra1n]

I think they will be amongst the first businesses because our government has already shown that it wants to promote the benefits of exercise.
I'll be straight back there like a (socially distancing and hand sanitized) rat up a drainpipe🤩

[Tattiebee]

Probably quite late, I know it's worth it and needs to be done but I am really struggling without being able to go to the gym. Other excercise isn't the same for me, and I can feel my MH taking a battering. I think it could work social distancing wise if you booked time slots instead of just fully opening or something, but guessing most wont. Swimming is what I miss most, I suspect it will be ages until they reopen, but I find it really helps with some injuries I have.

[BlingLoving]

I think gyms might have to get creative. so obviously smaller classes, but perhaps limits on how many people in the gym at once. eg all members have to book slots to come in. The problem with that of course is that how do you justify huge fees if you aren't allowing members their usual access? Ours has a nice cafe and I usually spend at least two days a week there working. I'm fully aware that the vast bulk of my membership is actually for that. I use the outside pool in summer a lot, the indoor pool in winter a little, the spa occassionally. But I don't do classes or use the main gym as a rule. If I can't do the few things I already do, I'll be pretty resentful at my huge fees.

[BeetrootRocks]

My guess would be quite late as people will be breathing hard when exercising, it's enclosed, and keeping all the equipment clean enough would be a nightmare.

[ListeningQuietly]

The sooner the better
I'll be there the first day
I miss swimming

[B1rdbra1n]

As long as they exclude anyone who is symptomatic limit the numbers inside etc