Do we think gyms are going to close again?

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Simple yes or no will do, it's only my mortgage and feeding my kids that I'm starting to worry about 🙈 think that announcement that's coming from Boris is going to be the final nail for a lot of businesses (and yes I know the numbers need to come down but I'm starting to worry a bit about my own family)

Typo 'will close again'

@IcedPurple

They may close regionally, but not nationally I don't think. Or they might introduce restrictions such as no classes.

On what do you base that though? If you’re going to question other people’s opinions...

Mine opened at the end of July for pre-booked slots only.

I went on to book a slot today and the booking page seems to have disappeared. Am wondering if it's a technical problem, or a sign of something more sinister.

My gym is very safe. Lots of cleaning. Very few people. I can nip in, use the spin studio in peace and walk home. All very good for mental and physical health.

I would be sad to see it close. I don’t think they will but I’m looking at a home bike just in case.

I don't think they will as lots of measures have been put in pace to make them 'Covid secure'. As far as I know, there hasn't been any evidence of outbreaks from gyms.

This may change if things get really dire, but at the moment I think they'll keep things that bring in money open to protect jobs, while restricting socialising and contact between households.

I hope not.

I hope not too. Mine feels very safe. If they do, I am absolutely getting myself a peloton bike

I hope not. I'm pinning my hopes on the fact Boris is losing weight and has yabbered on about obesity being a risk for covid. Our gym feels safe, very "covid secure".

Why can't he just announce it all today? Why wait until tomorrow?

I am afraid I have no idea. If they do you should be furloughed/equivalent, not just abandoned, but I trust this government not one bit.

for you, sorry you have this worry.

I hope not, I’ve been at our gym since July and it’s fab! I also haven’t seen any evidence of them being a spread of infection.

I was watching an interview in August with the CEO of Planet Fitness (huge US gym chain) and he said that in various states depending on local restrictions they have been open since April and had 45 million workouts in that time and 137 cases have been reported to the gym by gym goers and none have been traced to or caused spread at the gym. I think that’s a pretty sufficient sample size

Yes I think they will leaked document from scottish government specifically mentions gym closing. This is likely to be very similar to Westminster plans.

Another person today- where was the leaked document? I'm in N.I so our rules may well be different to the mainland anyway I think.

I think yes, but really hope I’m wrong

Gyms only just opened in Scotland

Link to the supposed leaked document please

Yes.

I love the gym but I haven't been back, and I desperately miss it. I had already written off 12 months tbh. Although I'm lucky I have a garden and can work out there.

@lurker101

I hope not, I’ve been at our gym since July and it’s fab! I also haven’t seen any evidence of them being a spread of infection.

I was watching an interview in August with the CEO of Planet Fitness (huge US gym chain) and he said that in various states depending on local restrictions they have been open since April and had 45 million workouts in that time and 137 cases have been reported to the gym by gym goers and none have been traced to or caused spread at the gym. I think that’s a pretty sufficient sample size

Yes but the report comes from a biased source I’m all for gyms staying open. Along with other businesses. But the owners don’t have our interests at heart when they grandstand in these matters.

I very much hope not. I've been in four gyms since they reopened (I'm in England) and they are incredibly well organised and very strict, with tight controls around cleaning/hygiene and track & trace, one way systems, use of equipment etc. I taught a class the other week in a leisure centre and realised I'd forgotten something when I got back to my car, so went back in straight away and they were already mopping the floor with disinfectant and sanitising everything. I feel far safer there than I do in the supermarket which is a bit of a free for all now and people picking stuff up, putting it down again, leaning over you to reach into the freezer, no one way system other than designated doors for entry and exit.

I moonlight as a fitness instructor and am about to launch a new community class in a local hall, and the risk assessments, paperwork, cleaning routines, maths around safe spacing and so on that we have to do are quite onerous but very closely adhered to, and our governing body has been great with providing support and guidance.

So many people I know are self employed fitness instructors and are really struggling at the moment as gyms haven't reopened with a full timetable due to restrictions, lots of people have lost half their regular classes, and many haven't been able to restart their community classes as restricted numbers make it financially not viable as they'd operate at a loss. I also know a local leisure centre that is really struggling and won't survive a second period of closure which means potential job losses but also the loss of an important community resource that's used for children's swimming lessons, clubs for elderly people, birthday parties, holiday clubs etc.

Hope you're ok OP, it's a hard time to be in the industry

@LemonTT yes I completely understand that, but he also has a duty not to mislead investors on a markets program, and if it were untrue it would be very easily disproven, the fact that there has been nothing further on the matter and that we haven’t noticed any large outbreaks related to gyms anywhere else I am content to take his word on it in the absence of further evidence.

Public Health England say that there is new evidence showing that gyms & leisure centres are being very successful in controlling spread of covid19 showing - 0.34 cases per 100,000 gym goers - National average is over 30 per 100,000.

no and I dont go to one but the main problem is not when we go to places and mix with other households for 2 secs, it's when we mix with close people and do nothing about it. so I'm hoping a ban in mixing households specially in private houses

no. I think it is an extremely tough call to actually close any business that has already opened (possibly exception being pubs I think) - partly because to do so they would have to compensate them in some way.

Also boris has been quite vocal about weight loss etc being important.

They will however possibly basically ban socialising of any kind.

Sadly I think so.

I don’t think they can expect people to not see family/friends and not mix households, but then keep gyms open.

Unless there's a proven link they're high risk (and we've only heard things like meeting of households, pubs most of which have been ones not following restrictions, house parties and schools), I think the intention would be to keep them open as they support the economy and mental health (ie being able to get out and do something positive).

I think it would be a silly move if they do. I've been going to pre-booked sessions at a small gym. Very hot on cleanliness and distancing, feels really safe. The benefits in terms of mental and physical health are really important.