Gyms and leisure centres boosted in push for 'essential service' status that would exempt them from lockdown

The gym and leisure sector has been boosted in its push to be recognised as an “essential service” during the Covid-19 crisis by being exempted from the lockdown that will close pubs and restaurants in central Scotland later this week.

The sector believes that it is providing a critical public health service, particularly in light of the government’s obesity strategy, and that it has proved that it can operate in a way that sufficiently mitigates the risk of spreading Covid-19.

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools were forced to wait until after pubs and restaurants following the first national lockdown earlier this year and are now lobbying government both for financial support and formal recognition of how they can boost society’s health, wellbeing and immunity.

Nearly half of all public sector gyms and leisure centres are at risk of closure by Christmas, with around 6,000 jobs having already been lost, and the sector has warned of a particularly devastating impact on already disadvantaged communities.

Around a third of public leisure facilities have not reopened and, with further lockdown measures likely amid the current spike in Covid-19 cases, there is a push to be grouped with essential services like supermarkets and pharmacies.

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced new two-week restrictions from Friday until October 25 and, while cafes, bars, restaurants,casinos and bingo halls will all be impacted in certain parts of the country, gyms can remain fully open.

Adult contact sports and indoor group exercise activities, however, will be suspended in areas of Scotland. Children under the age of 18 will be exempt from this restriction, as will professional sportspeople.

Huw Edwards, the chief executive of ukactive, which represents public and private sector gyms, said that the willingness to keep health fitness facilities open was “a testament to the safety data we have provided”.

There was disappointment, though, with the decision to close adult indoor group activities.. “We have received no scientific evidence or rationale, therefore we will continue to reinforce its safety to the Government,” said Edwards, who forecast “a significant loss of earnings, not just for larger operators but for smaller, independent businesses, just as they are working tirelessly to trade out of this crisis and serve their communities”.

As revealed by Telegraph Sport last month, gyms and leisure facilities in England had more than 22 million visits between reopening in July and September, with 78 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among its customers.

The reported cases did not show specific transmission in a gym environment, but arose where authorities had informed facilities that a user with a subsequent positive result had attended a facility within a certain time period. There were also 38 Covid-19 cases among members of staff and the number of cases per 100,000 visits was 0.34. “The data indicates an extremely low prevalence of Covid-19 in gyms and leisure facilities, showing that the protocols put in place to prevent people with the virus from visiting them are working – alongside the highest standards of cleanliness, social distancing and safety – to reduce the risk of transmission,” said Edwards.