Few days hit us harder than Monday the 4th of January – the day the Prime Minister announced a new national lockdown in England. All the campaigning did nothing to keep gyms open against asteep rise in coronavirus infections. It was enough to make anyone want to give up. But that’s just not an option. And it’s not what we in the leisure industry do. So now is the time to put on your best optimistic face and look at what we can do to get our industry thriving again. Let’s get our gyms ready for action, starting with our footprint. Space has never been more precious than it is now that we have to keep further apart. First, look at what you HAVE got and what you CAN do to hit the ground running. How can you maximise the use of whatever space you have ready for when you reopen? Think outside the box. Indoors: Do you have room for a mezzanine? For a relatively small amount you can convert wasted roof space into exercise space. This is particularly good for industrial units. Do you have access to an underground basement to deliver functional workouts or yoga sessions? Outdoors: Consider repurposing any space you have whether its tennis courts or car-parks. These are great for small group training outsidefor up to six people. Think tyres, battle ropes, a running tracketc.
If neither are these options is available to you then look at what other options there are. Most gyms have already taped off the floor to provide pods to ensure social distancing. But also consider marking the floor to denote different spaces for different activities.
Rigs can also provide a denoted area and great flexibility of activity on offer.
There has been much talk oftesting on the door and vaccine passports, but we have no idea yet what exactly will be expected of gyms when they reopen. One thing you can be sure of though, we’ll be supporting you all. Every step of the way.
These restrictions will be reviewed on 15th February 2021- see the latest guidelines here https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
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