Sheffield gym owner says it is safe for them to reopen and claims they have lower infection rates than supermarkets

Under the plans set out by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week, the reopening of gyms will take place as part of Stage Three which will come into force on April 12 at the earliest.

January and February are often a particularly busy time for gyms, following an indulgent Christmas period, but the third national lockdown has forced people to find alternative ways to exercise.

Coel Fulton and Dom Jolly own the Steel Physique gym in Hoyland Road, Neepsend and were set to open for the first time just a week before the first national lockdown was introduced on March 23 last year.

Subsequent lockdowns and coronavirus restrictions have meant that Steel Physique has only been open for five of the last 11 months, and Coel, co-owner and Performance Coach at the gym, believes it is already safe for them to reopen.

“Gyms have [been] shown to have lower infection rates than supermarkets, so from my point of view it’s not only safe for them to open, but imperative that they’re open as soon as possible as inactivity and obesity has only been magnified by the pandemic,” said Cole.

He added: “From the first lockdown we’ve had an airtight Covid-19 policy in place which was created for us by OHS Services - one of the leading occupational health companies in the UK. We’re ready to go and can’t wait.”

Coel said being forced to close “without any suggestion of a reopening date” has been the “hardest thing to deal with.”

“The roadmap offers us a provisional reopening date which is something we can work with to sort everything out that we need to,” he said.

He is now looking forward to welcoming clients back to the gym.

“We haven’t been open prior to Covid-19 so are excited to welcome those that may have felt apprehensive of attending a gym throughout the pandemic. We will also get the opportunity to host practical and theoretical masterclasses which we put on hold as to not encourage large groups of people.

"For us this offers more than just a great facility to train in, it offers education to all members which will definitely be popular,” said Coel.

It is hard to imagine a more difficult time to have opened, and Coel says the support they have received so far has only covered around half of their outgoings.

“I think it may have been useful for the government to work alongside landlords and come to a rent relief agreement so neither landlord or tennant is forced into debt.

"It’s been painful to watch our finances dwindle whilst having no option but to remain shut,” he added.

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.