Gyms in North East Lincolnshire are backing a petition to stay open during lockdown

Gyms across North East Lincolnshire are supporting a petition to keep the facilities open during the national lockdown.

Under the new guidance, gyms and leisure facilities must close until at least the 2nd December.

So far more than 563,000 people have signed the petition.

The Oasis Health Club in Grimsby are supporting the move. Tracey Mills, the general manager said:

"It's weighing up the health and leisure with the figures, that don't seem to stack up regarding the infection rate, over 45 million visits, but the over all rate is 0.99 per 100,000 visits."

"We want to make people healthier, we want to make people mentally healthy."

"I do understand they want to try and get the infection rates down, but I do feel lots of gyms are covid secure."

"From our feedback, our members say they've really felt safe coming back, they love the system we've put in place and there's been no known cases that have been generated from the club."

"It's just a shame that we're just getting people back into a healthy routine and I think in the health and leisure it takes time to get into those routines, and to keep having these breaks, I do feel it's really interrupting people's fitness, mentally and physically."

"Coming to the gym is a massive part of people's lives, more than people realise."

"Our numbers have gone instantly down because people are just fed up now."

Many other gyms across England are also supporting the petition:

Tracey Mills say the month closure will have an impact on people:

"When you exercise you release endorphins, which make you feel better about life, about yourself, mental and physically."

"A lot of people aren't motivated enough to do it at home, or have enough space at home."

"It's mentally preparing yourself when you exercise, and coming to a health club or gym is part of that mental preparation."

Gyms and leisure centres in England will close on Thursday 31st November for a month-long lockdown.

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