WATCH: Nearly 3,000 back reopening gyms amid wellbeing fears

Friday 04 December 2020

Nearly 3,000 islanders have called for gyms to be reopened, with owners questioning the evidence that fitness venues have contributed to the recent spike in covid cases and expressing concerns for the mental wellbeing of their clients.

On Wednesday evening, the Chief Minister announced that all licensed premises would close from today until further notice, and most likely not before the beginning of January.

Although the Government had earlier indicated that the ‘circuit breaker’ would only cover hospitality, the news that gyms would be included was unexpected and a shock for the health and fitness sector - particularly after many had already spent significant amounts of money adapting their practices to Government safety guidelines.

Transform Together’s Cameron Elliott, who helped set up the petition to keep gyms open with the enforced use of masks and 2m distancing, said his gym had spent thousands adjusting to requirements, with a cleaning bill of £2,000 last month alone.

Video: Transform Together (TT) owner said he was "really really disappointed" with the decision to close gyms, "not just because it's my livelihood, everything I've worked for" but over concerns for the clients that use fitness as a "coping mechanism."

He explained that the venue was also paying for storage for its boxing ring, as contact sports are no longer allowed, leaving more room for distanced coaching. He added that coaching was only happening in small groups, and cleaning of the venue took place after every session. All high-intensity activities are cancelled.

“I really feel we can’t do anything more to make this place safe,” he explained, later questioning why salons, where distancing cannot take place, can remain open.

However, he emphasised that his concerns were mostly about mental health of his 140 clients, many of whom use fitness services as a “coping mechanism.”

“Government of Jersey you need to sort this out, you need to get this situation overturned because if you don’t you’re going to put hundreds of people in isolation… and some of them won’t be able to cope. The suicide rates increased last lockdown in the UK… What’s going to happen in the next four weeks?”

Pictured: Concerns have been raised about islanders who use gyms as a "coping mechanism".

Samantha O’Connor, who owns BodyRox gym with her brother Richard, expressed similar concerns.

“We heard the news by listening to the press conference, which is pretty disgusting seeing it affects us so directly," she told Express.

“None of the main gyms have been the source of transmission and this measure is totally unfair and unfounded. I did hear of one case in a boxing gym but that is a very different environment to us."

“Our members sanitise their hands on arrival and every piece of equipment is cleaned before and after use. We maintain distancing and have followed all the Government guidelines since the start.

“We are also a large, open-plan gym with plenty of ventilation and a system that allows the air to be constantly changed - the vents are also fully open.”

Pictured: Gyms in Jersey have stopped high-intensity classes in response to the pandemic.

Mr O’Connor said that the gym and working out was an important source of mental wellbeing for many Islanders. 

“By closing us down, the Government is sending the clear message that they’re not looking after people’s mental and physical wellbeing. It’s scary, really,” he said.

“Our members often refer to the gym as their second home and their other safe place. It’s where they come to vent their frustrations and get their head straight; it is their backbone. People who don’t go to the gym might not understand how physical health affects mental health and vice versa. It is huge, and I’d go as far to say that the mental benefits are even greater.

‘Without our members, we wouldn’t have survived this crisis - their loyalty has kept our business alive, and further demonstrates how important the gym is to them.

“We strongly feel that, during this health crisis, gyms are part of the solution and not the problem.”

Pictured: "Gyms are part of the solution and not the problem," the owner of Bodyrox said.

Andy Topman, who runs Carrefour and Metro gyms, said he also couldn’t understand the rationale of the decision.

“There is a lot of pressure on everyone at the moment, including our politicians, so it’s important that we take a balanced view, but it does seem that ministers have panicked this time around,” he said.

“I am surprised no one came to me beforehand to say: 'We have this issue, so give us some comfort. Tell us why we should not lock you down?'

“I would have shown them what we do and how we’ve adapted by not, for example, spinning or holding group classes. 

“It’s important to recognise that the fitness industry is a diverse one, from boxing to bikram to bench pressing, and it is possible to separate those out, as we have done as part of our response to the virus.

“Instead, being told that we were being shut down came as a complete shock. 

“In the UK, there has been 17 cases of transmission from 8 million visits to health clubs, and since the Contact Tracing Team was formed here, I have been contacted just once about a visit to one of our gyms. I gave all the details and was never contacted again, which suggests to me that everything was fine.

Pictured: Gym owners argue that their members only use equipment fleetingly and always wipe it down afterwards.

“Also, those who were considered high risk left at the start of the pandemic and for the small number of people who didn’t follow the rules, I cancelled their membership. In the gym, most people do two or three sets on a machine and move on. There is only fleeting contact and everything is regularly cleaned anyway.

“And I’m surprised that, when things returned to a semblance of normality over the summer, the Government chose not to investigate the industry to see where problems could arise when the virus returned, which they knew it would. It seems that they dropped their guard.

“I have been running health clubs for 30 years but it still strikes me how important the gym is for people. Since the news broke, a number of members have told me how devastated they are and what a vital role keeping fit plays in their lives. 

“We will survive this but it takes a long time to rebuild people’s trust and it has probably set us back five or six months.” 

Crossfit, meanwhile, emailed members last night to urge them to contact Government representatives about the decision.

Gymgoers have also expressed their concern and upset.

In an open letter to the Chief Minister and Health Minister published by Express today, Dan Williams explained how the gym had helped transform his mental and physical health after he was shocked to learn he was classified as 'morbidly obese' some months ago.

Pictured: Dan Williams questioned whether the Government had analysed the knock-on effect of closing gyms.

TT client of three years Cheryl Vautier added “feels like family to me”, adding: “I need gym sessions just as much for my mental health as for exercise… I want to plead with the Government to reconsider closing gyms. They clearly have no idea what this means to the public’s welfare.”

Wayne Woodhouse explained that, after family bereavements and the breakdown of a 20-year relationship, the gym helped change his life, despite initially being “the absolute last place I would have thought to go.”

“This year has been extremely tough and is only going to get tougher as Christmas approaches? The Gym is my way of getting away from everything and keeps myself and my mind on the straight and narrow… I’m absolutely gutted that over this difficult time I won’t have the support from these guys to see me through.”

With public pressure mounting, politician and mental health campaigner Deputy Kevin Pamplin has stepped in and written to the Government's scientific advisory body in a bid to have the decision reviewed.

GYMS: Yesterday I emailed the Health Minister, the chair of STAC, head of Policy, PH & Dr Muscat. As you will read I’ve asked them to reconsider the closing of gyms. To be clear we need to slow transmission ASAP. If the data & response back gyms are medically a concern then ok. pic.twitter.com/0JUGizMl8S

— Deputy Kevin Pamplin (@KevinPamplin) December 4, 2020

"Islanders' physical and mental health wellbeing are my main concerns. Back in March, we had better weather, not now... If Dr Muscat says medically the concern of viral transmission is too risky then ok, but I'm sure he and they will listen. This is a delicate time, we must not fail," he tweeted.

The petition currently has just under 3,000 signatures, meaning that Ministers will have to respond. If it reaches 5,000, the matter will be considered for debate in the States Assembly.