PRIVATELY OWNED GYMS NEED URGENT GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO SURVIVE AND SUPPORT VACCINE ROLLOUT IN 2021

The weekend’s announcement regarding Tier 4 restrictions across London and the South East of England was another bitter blow to the nation’s morale. We acknowledge the tough decisions that need to be made by the Government to contain this new variant of the COVID-19 virus but were naturally disappointed that gym and leisure facilities were once again forced to close as a result. 

The data speaks for itself; gyms are not a risk setting for the spread of the virus thanks to our Covid-Secure safety framework. Recent data from ukactive puts things into perspective and from the end of July to the end of October, there have been a total of 781 COVID-19 cases from gym members who have alerted their club that they have tested positive, against a backdrop of 735,398 UK-wide cases in the same time (as measured by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control).With these cases coming from data provided by in excess of 1,000 gyms across the UK, it somewhat evidences that the spread of the virus neither is accelerated or originated at gyms. 

Gyms need to support COVID-19 vaccine roll-out 

2021 should yield far more positivity with a comprehensive roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine and the fitness sector is able to play a key role in supporting this. Significantly, a number of studies have suggested an important role for exercise in enhancing our immune systems’ response to vaccination.[1] The roll-out of the vaccine will be a long process and it’s essential that we’re able to reopen on 1 January to run alongside the vaccination process. 

Our facilities are already playing a key role in supporting people recovering from COVID-19 and managing the effects of ‘Long COVID’, which is estimated to impact one in 20 people. It is directly in opposition to the Government’s health strategy to keep our facilities closed and given our sector’s ability to keep people safe and effectively socially distanced, we urge the Government to allow us to reopen after the review of the Tier 4 restrictions next week. 

Missing out on our busiest month 

For many leisure facilities, this now represents a third enforced closure in the past nine months, with this one coming at a pivotal time for both the nation and their businesses. It goes without saying that January is the busiest month for our sector, with nearly 11% of gym members signing up in the first month of the year [2].  

To put it simply; not being able to trade in this month will have catastrophic effects for the industry and facilities will be shut permanently, as well as jobs and livelihoods being lost. Finances are just the tip of the iceberg though, local communities losing access to safe leisure facilities has a hugely detrimental effect on the activity levels of the nation. Instead of exercising in safe, indoor environments, they’re forced to exercise outdoors in locations which they don’t feel safe or comfortable in. 

Urgent financial support for private gym operators 

We know our sector is not the only one enduring closures as part of these new Tier 4 restrictions but there has been no VAT relief, no ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ and no legislation to mitigate the uncontrollable losses that come with facilities being closed for half the year.  

There is a huge gap in the Government’s financial support for private operators. In October, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced financial support for local authority leisure centres but as a private operator, we are yet to receive any financial support packages. Since that announcement, we have endured two further closures where our club’s income has been reduced to zero.  

The private leisure sector urgently needs a targeted financial package to mitigate the heavy losses endured by the inability to trade. A financial package must represent the same VAT relief provided to other sectors as well as access to local area discretionary funds. The Rateable Value Cap of ￡51,000 now needs to be removed and private gyms given access to funds that have been returned by other sectors due to their strong performance during the pandemic. The initial Retail, Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Grant of up to ￡25,000 was a relief for the first couple of months and a provision of another non-repayable sum will go a long way to at least ensuring the short-term future of private gyms on into 2021. Remember too that the investment to keep these facilities has a direct social and monetary return in removing pressure from the NHS, not just from the dangers of Covid, but Obesity and other chronic diseases that seem to be growing in prevalence rather than reducing.

Most significantly, the Code of Practice for commercial property sector needs to be legislated. It’s already been said that the moratorium preventing commercial landlords evicting tenants over rent arrears will not be extended beyond March which leaves tenants very vulnerable. Private gyms are viable businesses which will thrive again, and we need the support from the Government to continue providing an essential service to the public.  

The majority of private gyms are owned and operated by local businesspeople in local communities, and they are fearing for the future of their businesses with indefinite closures in Tier 4 areas.  

We’re a physical space, we can’t go online 

While other businesses and sectors (such as retail) are able to modify their model and move further business online, consideration needs to be given that we can’t do that. We can’t run a business and charge for a service that we can’t provide. 

With widespread closures and adverse weather, we’re walking into an even bigger health crisis with physical activities more inaccessible than ever. Many people don’t feel safe exercising outdoors in the winter and when updated research is published, I’m sure we’ll see a significant drop in physical activity levels this winter. There will also be adverse knock-on effects for our nations public’s mental wellbeing, especially given we’re just off the back of November’s national lockdown and a significant change to the Christmas that people have so hoped to have with family members and friends. 

This is undoubtedly going to be a challenging festive period for so many given the events of the year. While we acknowledge this brief closure around Christmas, we must reopen in January to continue safely serving the nation and achieving the common goal that we all want; to overcome the COVID-19 virus and live healthier, happier lives. If we’re unable to do so, the Government needs to materially and substantially extend its financial support to the private gym sector or thousands of people will lose their livelihoods and local communities will lose their leisure facilities. 

[1] Simpson, R. & Katsanis, E. The immunological Case for Staying Active During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Brain Behav Immun 2020;87:6-7.

https://www.ukactive.com/blog/exercise-and-the-vaccine/

[2] IHRSA, https://www.ihrsa.org/improve-your-club/5-things-that-will-help-your-gym-members-stick-to-their-exercise-habits/, 2017 IHRSA Media Report