Puregym's CEO issues plea for governments to prioritise gyms re-opening when lockdown is eased

Puregym’s CEO has called for the Scottish and UK governments to prioritise gyms reopening as political leaders look towards easing lockdown in the coming weeks.

Humphrey Cobbold, CEO of Puregym

Humphrey Cobbold, CEO of Puregym, has asked all governments in the UK to heed the wishes of citizens who have been denied access to gym and fitness facilities over the last year.

He said that opening gyms safely will be a statement of intent that they are committed to building a healthier and better Scotland after the pandemic.

Puregym believes that data from the periods when gyms were open after the first lockdown demonstrate that gyms do not represent a material risk to the infection rate.

Edinburgh Waterfront gym

The company also conducted their own research of 7,000 gym members across the UK and the reponses state that 85 percent of members cite gym closures as having a negative effect on physical well-being and 98 percent indicate that gyms are important to their mental well-being.

They argue that people do not have access to safe outdoor space, particularly in winter and that home gyms and Peloton bikes are the preserve of the wealthy.

As a result they are calling on governments to prioritise safely reopening gyma as early as possible,

Humphrey said: “At PureGym, we offer access to good quality facilities for an average price of just £20 per month – gyms are now a democratised product for the many, not a privilege for the few.

“At PureGym we do not for one moment advocate recklessness and we agree entirely with governments being cautious with re-opening and their commitment to make this the last lockdown that the country has to endure.

“Gyms are highly regulated and controlled to a greater degree than other indoor spaces and, we believe, are safer as a result.

“PureGym has six sites in Edinburgh serving 24,000 members, who are just as eager as we are to get gyms open again as soon as it is safe to do so. We are calling on the Prime Minister and the devolved administration in Scotland to ensure gyms are early in the sequence of reopening because of the clear health benefits they provide to society and the very low risk they represent in terms of transmission of the virus.”

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