‘We are safer than essential shops’
Maidenhead: Dismay as gyms are forced to close again
A Maidenhead gym has claimed the impending lockdown is a ‘slap in the face’ for a leisure industry which has ‘invested a lot of money’ to become COVID-safe.
Lewis Richardson, general manager at Fitness Space in High Street, will have to close his doors as a tightening of restrictions sees places like gyms and leisure centres shut up shop.
He said he will be making use of the Government’s furlough scheme, but thinks that the PM has bowed to peer pressure in imposing the rules.
“We have proven through different surveys that we are COVID-safe. We also have the ability to impose strict measures. In fact [we are] safer than essential shops,” Lewis said.
“Whereas people can come and go from supermarkets, we have the ability to make sure everything is sanitised, clean, safe; temperature check people – meaning the risk [of transmission] is significantly less in the leisure industry.
“I think they [the Government] have bowed to pressure from people who have said they have not done enough.
“Across the whole industry, we have invested a lot of money. It is a bit of a slap in the face.”
MPs voted in favour of the national lockdown in Parliament yesterday (Wednesday). Lewis added he had written a letter to Maidenhead MP Theresa May asking if the leisure industry could keep its doors open.
National gym chain Pure Gym had also launched a #KeepGymsOpen social media campaign, advocating that these spaces are vital for people’s mental health.
Lewis added that ‘physical activity is proven to reduce mental health issues’.
Across town, the recentlyopened Braywick Leisure Centre will also be closing.
Mark Camp-Overy, managing director of Leisure
Focus, which runs the Braywick Road site, said he was disappointed but claimed he and his team would be ‘staying positive’. There will also be an
opportunity for people to stay fit online.
“The closure is hugely disappointing news, but we recognise the importance of coming together as a community during the current lockdown,” he said.
“Our industry is essential to the battle with COVID-19, directly supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities.
“We have implemented strict COVID safety measures since reopening, and the data supplied by UKactive shows that as a sector, there is an extremely low prevalence of
cases in gyms and leisure centres as a result.”
He added: “We are staying positive, and thanks to our talented staff and excellent local instructors, we are establishing a free local online lockdown programme to support our community to stay connected, engaged and active.
“We look forward to opening again very soon.”
PM Johnson said in a speech to the nation on Saturday: “The virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst case scenarios of our scientific advisors. Now is the time to take action."