We're reopening on Sat 25 July (Phase 1, Excluding Hornsea) Gym, Swim and Classes only
Our priority is to protect the health and wellbeing of customers and staff. There are a number of changes in how centres will operate, the cooperation of customers in adhering to these new practices when using our facilities.
We would ask that customers follow these new procedures at all times, if in doubt please ask a member of staff. We request the cooperation of customers in adhering to social distancing at all times
The opening times of centres will change, this is to allow additional time at the start and end of the day to undertake rigorous cleaning and sanitisation processes.
Centres will be operating cashless systems to minimise the opportunity for physical contact between customers and staff. There will be no catering provision. Vending provision within centres may be limited.
We're reopening on Sat 25 July (Phase 1, Excluding Hornsea) Gym, Swim and Classes only
All our decisions are being guided by recommendations being made by various national bodies such as UK Active, our trade body, Swim England, the Royal Life Saving Society and many others. Once a time scale for the reopening of leisure centres has been announced the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will release guidance on what measure it will need to see in place for a centre to be COVID secure.
Social distancing measures will be introduced into the leisure centres. These will range from marking out exercise class studios, removing and spacing out equipment in the gyms, reducing cubicle and locker provision for swimming pools through to specific areas set aside for queues at reception.
To comply with social distancing requirements we have had to reduce the number of people we can allow into our gyms, swimming pools and exercise classes. In some cases, such as spinning, we have been able to move classes into bigger areas to maintain numbers as best we can.
Other parts of our facilities, such as spectator areas, will remain closed to control the number of people in the facility.
We have also had to introduce advanced booking and payment for all of our activities and sessions, unfortunately no walk up casual admissions will be allowed.
We have completely reviewed our cleaning practices and sort independent, professional advice on what procedures to follow, equipment and chemicals to use and how to implement the changes.
Centres will be closing earlier in the evening to allow for an increased level of cleaning to be undertaken. After air drying overnight the centres will be disinfected in the morning, prior to the buildings being open to customers.
Throughout the day there will be a constant process of touch point cleaning and, in between sessions, areas of the centre will be closed to allow for additional cleaning to take place.
To undertake this additional level of cleaning more staff will be redeployed onto cleaning duties.
To help us to ensure the safety of both customers and staff are will be a significant number of restrictions and requirements placed on the customer. We can only apologise for this and request that customers do their bit to support the staff in keeping our facilities as safe as possible during this difficult time.
Restrictions and requirements will differ between activities but in general;
There will be increased levels of staffing within areas of our facilities such as queue monitors, changing room attendants and session supervisors. Their role will be to supervise customers and to ensure that social distancing, cleaning and sanitisation processes are adhered to.
We hope that all customers will work with us to maintain a safe environment within our centres and we understand that customers may need reminding about these new expectations. Our staff will politely remind customers of their responsibilities. However, if customers continue to not adhere to social distancing and hygiene practices, then they will be asked to leave the facility and will face having their access to facilities suspended.
In phase 1 of reopening we will be offering gym sessions, swimming sessions and exercise classes.
Sessions will be time limited and the number of people allowed to book onto a session will be capped.
Unfortunately we will not be offering any other activities at this time, but we are constantly reviewing our procedures and national guidance to see when we can safely introduce further activities and what measures we would have to put in place to do this.
Children's swimming lessons are particularly difficult to deliver within social distancing parameters. The number of children that would be allowed in the lesson, provision of swim aids and how the teacher would be able to teach the session all cause issues.
Also we need to consider how social distancing would be maintained outside of the swimming pool with reduced capacity in changing rooms, choke points where adults drop off and pick up their children with the teacher and social distancing for the adults in spectating areas.
Reinstating a reduced programme of swimming lessons is a high priority for us but we need to ensure that this can be delivered in a safe way for both children, the adults who bring them and the staff.
Due to national guidance on the operation of swimming pools, and the need to social distance, we can only offer adult only or family sessions - which will require pre-booking.
Due to the sizes of our sauna cabins and steam rooms it is not possible to implement social distancing measures within them. There is also the risk of sweat and water droplets transferring from one individual to another.
There is an understanding that this is correct but there is currently little research to corroborate this. Social distancing measures still need to be put in place within swimming pools which limit the number of swimmers and the types of sessions we can offer.
Our air conditioning filters have been checked and cleaned and are operating in-line with new industry guidance. In addition to this, we will be ventilating areas where possible.
Bookings can be made either online Book A or by ringing your centres reception number. Please be aware there will be delays if calling.
Bookings can be made up to 48 hours in advance for members and up to 24 hours in advance for non-members. All paid for booking must be paid for at the time of booking as centres are going to operate on a cashless basis.
Areas of the centre will be closed periodically between sessions to allow for cleaning to take place. Regular cleaning of touch points will take place and we ask all customers to follow the hygiene instructions in each area they visit.
No, this option was considered but we will not be undertaking temperature checks. When booking all customers will be asked to confirm that they do not feel unwell or have any COVID 19 symptoms and this check with be repeated at reception before admission is allowed.
As part of the guidance we are following we must allow a gap between items of equipment. To achieve this we have had to take the difficult decision to remove some items of equipment.
In our customer survey many of our customers commented on how small our cycling studios were and how tightly packed together cycles were. As with gym equipment we have to maintain separation between cycles and we have had to assess whether it would be right to continue to run cycling classes in some studios with much reduced capacity.
In some cases we have been able to move cycling classes into larger areas or studios and relocate other classes into a sports hall.
Even within our sports halls we have had to put social distancing measures in place and reduce some of our class sizes.
Unfortunately reorganising the class programmes have resulted in some classes having to be temporarily removed from our programme.
Yes, we will continue to provide online classes both through our partnership with Les Mills on Demand and posting regular classes on our YouTube channel
Given the amount of use our exercise class mats receive and the difficulty we have in cleaning, drying and sterilising the mats it was better to remove them. We apologise for this and ask all customers attending a class that requires a mat to bring their own with them. To support this, we are selling exercise class mats at a reduced price.
In order for us to control the number of people attending the centres and to pre-screen customers we have made all activities advanced booking only. To minimise the physical interaction between customers and reception staff we require all bookings to be paid for in advance at the point of booking. This means that our centres can operate on a cashless basis.
Members not cancelling and not attending classes was an issue at some of our centres prior to lock down. Following lock down with a reduced class programme this will become a bigger issue if unchecked and we would ask all customers to be courteous to others and cancel bookings if they are unable to attend.
We will be contacting customers who do not cancel and fail to attend classes and will, reluctantly, suspend access to the facilities for members who persistently do this.
We will write to all members prior to membership payments restarting, however we will also be offering the first month after centres reopen free of charge to members. We are very conscious that many members maybe unsure as to whether they will feel comfortable using leisure facilities with other people or that the facilities we are able to offer will not meet their needs. Please refer to your email or letter for more details on this.
Members will be able to freeze their membership if they wish to continue being a member but are unable to currently afford it due to a change in financial circumstances. Details on how to do this will be given when we write to members about payments restarting.
We appreciate that many of our customers may have health conditions, be in an at risk group, be continuing to shield someone or just be unsure as to whether now is the right time for them to return to using our facilities. Members will be able to freeze their membership until they wish to restart it and return to using our facilities. Details on how to do this will be given when we write to members about payments restarting.