‘You have got to stimulate the grassroots ... this will come back to haunt us in two or three years’ time’
Anger as Boris Johnson closes sports and health facilities
The health and leisure industry has welcomed the announcement that it is to receive £4.6billion in Government grants.
But officials also stressed the need to protect ‘the physical and mental wellbeing of people across the UK’ in light of the latest coronavirus lockdown measures which have forced fitness centres, gyms, swimming pools, golf courses and tennis courts to close again.
A spokesperson for the Sport and Recreation Alliance, which represents over 320 national sports organisations across the UK, said: ‘We welcome the Chancellor’s announcement of additional financial support.
‘While it is disappointing that tighter restrictions have been put in place, including the enforced closure of all indoor and outdoor sports facilities, we recognise the gravity of the situation and the importance of limiting further spread of the virus.
‘We continue to believe that sport and physical activity are key to supporting the nation’s health and wellbeing during this difficult period and hope that, as restrictions are lifted, grassroots activities can be restarted and facilities reopened as quickly as possible.’
Ukactive, a non-profit industry association which represents more than 4,000 gyms and leisure centres, had warned that jobs and businesses were under threat.
‘Operators of all sizes across the UK are sounding the alarm that their businesses are unsustainable and facing substantial job losses if they are forced to close again without a comprehensive package of tailored financial and regulatory support,’ said chief executive Huw Edwards, speaking prior to Rishi Sunak’s grant announcement.
‘Therefore, they must be prioritised and protected or we risk widespread business failure that will have major health impacts for a generation.’
Outdoor team sports and golf are now prohibited in England, although the latter will be allowed to continue in small groups in Scotland.
England Golf, which campaigned hard for the reopening of courses when they were closed first time around, expressed disappointment.
‘England Golf – as part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf along with other leading industry bodies – is extremely disappointed with the news, having made a strong case in recent months to keep golf open during the national lockdowns and in the regional tier system,’ said a statement.’
The Lawn Tennis Association also made its case for their sport to continue.
‘Tennis is a naturally socially-distanced sport that is safe to play and gives people the opportunity to get outside and exercise with a friend or relative,’ a statement read.
GB Taekwondo performance director Gary Hall warned the impact of the closure of sporting facilities would not be fully appreciated for a number of years.
Hall said: ‘The long-term damage could be significant because you are switching so many young people off.
‘You’ve got to stimulate the grassroots. It’s an issue that will come back to haunt us in two or three years because there will be fewer people doing sports. “I believe there is always a way to keep activity going. There should have been a way to maintain it, in a limited and carefully-controlled way, for the next six weeks.”
Football below the sixth tier of English football must stop, though most non-leagues in tiers 3 and 4 had paused before Monday’s announcement anyway.
The Women’s FA Cup will also be halted as it is classed as non-elite at this stage of the competition.
Portsmouth were due to host Cheltenham in the Women’s FA Cup at Westleigh Park last Sunday, but that was postponed once the area went into tier 4 lockdown before Christmas.
‘The long-term damage could be significant because you are switching young people off
GB Taekwondo performance director Gary Hall