November 8, 2024

Are gyms open now? Rules on gyms reopening in every tier after Covid lockdown, explained

Open Gym #OpenGym

a person standing in a room: Gyms have reopened in all tiers once the lockdown in England was lifted (Photo: Kelly Barnes/Getty) © Provided by The i Gyms have reopened in all tiers once the lockdown in England was lifted (Photo: Kelly Barnes/Getty)

A strengthened three-tier system of local restrictions for England has come into place following the end of the second national lockdown on 2 December.

The highest tiers include tough restrictions on socialising indoors, although members of three different households from across the UK will be allowed to mix together without social distancing for five days over Christmas,

Non-essential shops in all areas have been allowed to open, while hospitality venues can now shut at 11pm instead of 10pm. But what about gyms?

Here’s what you need to know.

Are gyms open in all tiers? a man standing next to a window: A gym member sanitises gym equipment after working out at Ultimate Fitness Gym (Photo: Morgan Harlow/PA) © Provided by The i A gym member sanitises gym equipment after working out at Ultimate Fitness Gym (Photo: Morgan Harlow/PA)

Gyms and non-essential shops were forced to close in England since Thursday 5 November, but they have been able to reopen in all areas after lockdown was lifted on 2 December.

There are strict rules in place for those looking to workout, with gym-goers having to book a time slot and all facilities frequently sanitised. Class sizes have also been reduced while equipment has been spread out to allow for social distancing.

Gyms and swimming pools will be able to open in all tiers, although restrictions vary across regions when it comes to class and organised sports.

Previously, gym owners and athletes accused the Government of “ignoring the science” by closing gyms – a move which they claimed would damage the nation’s physical and mental health, and disproportionately affect those living in more densely populated urban areas where there is less outside space to exercise.

Former Paralympic champion Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the chair of grassroots body UK Active, wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to treat gyms and leisure centres as “essential services”.

Which areas are in each tier?

The map below shows the tiers in which all the different areas of England have been placed once lockdown ended:

Here is how the tiers will be split:

Tier 1: Medium alert South East South West Tier 2: High alert North West

  • Cumbria
  • Liverpool City Region
  • Warrington and Cheshire
  • Yorkshire West Midlands

  • Worcestershire
  • Herefordshire
  • Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin
  • East Midlands East of England

  • Suffolk
  • Hertfordshire
  • Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough
  • Norfolk
  • Essex, Thurrock and Southend on Sea
  • Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes
  • London

  • All 32 boroughs plus the City of London
  • South East

  • East Sussex
  • West Sussex
  • Brighton and Hove
  • Surrey
  • Reading
  • Wokingham
  • Bracknell Forest
  • Windsor and Maidenhead
  • West Berkshire
  • Hampshire (except the Isle of Wight), Portsmouth and Southampton
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Oxfordshire
  • South West

  • South Somerset, Somerset West and Taunton, Mendip and Sedgemoor
  • Bath and North East Somerset
  • Dorset
  • Bournemouth
  • Christchurch
  • Poole
  • Gloucestershire
  • Wiltshire and Swindon
  • Devon
  • Tier 3: Very High alert North East

  • Tees Valley Combined Authority:
  • Hartlepool
  • Middlesbrough
  • Stockton-on-Tees
  • Redcar and Cleveland
  • Darlington
  • North East Combined Authority:
  • Sunderland
  • South Tyneside
  • Gateshead
  • Newcastle upon Tyne
  • North Tyneside
  • County Durham
  • Northumberland
  • North West

  • Greater Manchester
  • Lancashire
  • Blackpool
  • Blackburn with Darwen
  • Yorkshire and The Humber

  • The Humber
  • West Yorkshire
  • South Yorkshire
  • West Midlands

  • Birmingham and Black Country
  • Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
  • Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull
  • East Midlands

  • Derby and Derbyshire
  • Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
  • Leicester and Leicestershire
  • Lincolnshire
  • South East

  • Slough (remainder of Berkshire is tier 2: High alert)
  • Kent and Medway
  • South West

  • Bristol
  • South Gloucestershire
  • North Somerset
  • What are the rules in your area? Tier one: Medium alert

  • Meeting friends and family: Maximum of six indoors or outdoors, other than single households or support bubbles
  • Bars, pubs, restaurants: Table service only. Last orders at 10pm, close 11pm
  • Open: Retail, entertainment, accommodation, personal care, eg hairdressers, beauty salons and nail bars, indoor leisure, eg gyms and swimming
  • Travelling: Walk or cycle if possible. Avoid travel into tier three areas (except where necessary, eg for work, education, medical attention)
  • Overnight stays: Permitted, with household, support bubble or up to six people
  • Work and business: Everyone who can work from home should do so
  • Education: Open in all tiers. Childcare permitted
  • Places of worship: Open, but cannot interact with more than six people
  • Weddings and funerals: 15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships, wedding receptions and wakes; 30 for funerals
  • Exercise: Classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but must follow Rule of Six indoors. Activities for elite athletes, under-18s and disabled people can continue
  • Large events, eg elite sport, live performances and conferences: Open to the public, but limited to 50 per cent capacity or 4,000 outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower)
  • Tier Two: High alert

  • Meeting friends and family: No mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles. Maximum of six outdoors
  • Bars, pubs, restaurants: Pubs and bars must close unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals. Last orders 10pm, close 11pm
  • Open: Retail, entertainment, accommodation, Personal care, eg hairdressers, beauty salons and nail bars, indoor leisure, eg gyms and swimming
  • Travelling: Reduce journeys where possible. Avoid travel into tier three areas (except where necessary)
  • Overnight stays: Permitted, with household or support bubble only
  • Work and business: Everyone who can work from home should do so
  • Education: Open all tiers. Childcare permitted
  • Places of worship: Open, but cannot interact with anyone outside household or support bubble
  • Weddings and funerals: 15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships, wedding receptions and wakes; 30 for funerals
  • Exercise: Classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but not indoors between people from different households. Organised activities for elite athletes, under-18s and disabled people can continue
  • Large events: Open to the public, but limited to 50 per cent capacity or 2,000 outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower)
  • Tier three: Very high alert

  • Meeting friends and family: No mixing of households indoors or most outdoor places except parks, sports courts, public gardens where Rule of Six is in place. Support bubbles exempt
  • Bars, pubs, restaurants: Closed except sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery
  • Open: Retail, personal care, eg hairdressers, beauty salons and nail bars, indoor leisure, eg gyms and swimming
  • Closed: Indoor venues such as cinemas, indoor bowling, casinos
  • Travelling: Avoid travelling out of the area, other than where necessary eg for work, education, medical attention
  • Overnight stays: No overnight stays outside of local area, unless necessary for work, education or similar
  • Accommodation: Closed (with limited exceptions such as work purposes)
  • Work and business: Everyone who can work from home should do so.
  • Education: Open in all tiers. Childcare permitted
  • Places of worship: Open, but cannot interact with anyone outside household or support bubble
  • Weddings and funerals: 15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships and wakes; 30 for funerals. Wedding receptions not permitted
  • Exercise: Classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but people should avoid higher-risk contact activity. Group exercise activities and sport indoors should not take place, unless with household or bubble. Organised activities for elite athletes, under-18s and disabled people can continue
  • Large events: Events should not take place. Drive-in events permitted
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