Sheffield City Trust to keep leisure facilities open in Tier 3 and reopen Ponds Forge next week as planned

The Trust runs various leisure facilities across the city including Hillsborough Leisure Centre, English Institute of Sport Sheffield and iceSheffield.

Following the announcement Sheffield would be put under a Tier 3 lockdown with the rest of South Yorkshire from Saturday, October 24, SCT confirmed it would stop fitness classes but continue all other services.

In a statement, it said: "We can confirm that fitness classes will end of Friday.

“All other services currently been provided at all our venues will continue to be offered, which is in line with the restrictions of being in a ‘Tier 3’ area.

“Our priority is the health and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues and so we are delighted that the local restrictions will allow leisure venues to remain open, including the re-opening of Ponds Forge and Heeley swimming pool from Monday, October 26.

“Health and wellbeing has never been more important and we will do everything possible to continue to support the people of Sheffield."

SCT reopened most of its leisure facilities across the city in August, following the nationwide lockdown earlier this year.

Ponds Forge was due to remain closed with an estimated 'best case scenario' reopening date of April 2021, until aquatics clubs based there launched a campaign, saying they will not survive until then without it.

Sheffield Council provided an extra £1.6 million to reopen the venue next week.

But it has still not been clarified what the new restrictions mean for sports clubs.

Government guidance on Tier 3 states: "Organised sport, exercise classes and other activity groups are only permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with (or share a support bubble with). Where it is likely that households (or support bubbles) will mix, these activities must not go ahead. Social interaction before and after any sport or exercise should be limited to people from the same household or support bubble.

"There are exceptions for disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, which can take place in any number."

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