Lifestyle Fitness Statement

Lifestyle Fitness ‘greatly disappointed’ to close gym within Liverpool

Nationwide gym operator, Lifestyle Fitness are urging the Government and leaders of the Liverpool City Region to reconsider their decision to close gyms and leisure facilities in the area.

The fitness sector, through UK Active have been gathering information since July 25th and collected data on over 22 million gym visits which clearly shows a low incidence of confirmed Covid-19 cases. There have been just 0.34 cases of Covid-19 for every 100,000 visits to gyms and leisure centres.

James Lawrence, Managing Director of Lifestyle Fitness said “alongside all gym operators, we are challenging the government to present data that supports this decision. Facts and data indicate that there is little to no Covid-19 transmission in gyms, and that they are safe”. Lifestyle Fitness gyms are hubs of their local community and closing them down is damaging to the physical and mental health of the community.

James continues “our members are devastated at the closure and are disappointed they can’t exercise, which will have a profound and prolonged impact on mental and physical health.” A member of the Lifestyle Fitness in Bootle said, “Your gym was one of the few places I felt safe – it’s always spotless and I’ve never felt unnerved […] a huge thanks to you all for calming my anxieties about Covid-19”.

All gyms were required by SAGE and PHE to put in place a broad range of protocols to make gyms Covid-safe. These have cost millions of pounds and include 2m social distancing, reduced numbers of people in gyms, dramatically increased hygiene and sanitisation procedures and ample communication.

James went on to say “I urge the government and local leaders to reconsider this unreasoned and damaging decision that has been taken in contradiction to data released by SAGE, which shows closing gyms would have little impact on the transmission of Covid-19. We will join with other gym operators in taking legal action against the government if that is what it takes.”