Will gyms be closing again in the UK under the new ‘rule of six’?

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases once again rises in the UK, people in England are facing restrictions on gatherings, with the new ‘rule of six’ set to come into force from Monday.

The rule will see gatherings of more than six people made illegal in England, with Scotland and Wales adopting similar rules – with only a few exemptions made for those at work or school, or those who have households of more than six.

With that in mind, could gyms – which only reopened in July following the coronavirus lockdown – find themselves forced to close once again due to the new limitations on numbers?

Here’s what you need to know…

Will gyms be closing again in the UK?

Despite the new restrictions coming into force, this will not spell the closure of gyms in England.

Boris Johnson confirmed that gyms are on the list of places which are exempt from having more than six people in attendance due to being Covid-secure – along with workplaces, schools and other places such as places of worship and restaurants.

But while gyms can hold more than six people at a time, groups of more than six people should not visit the gym together, mix socially or form larger groups.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has explained: There are a number of exemptions, for school, because we want to protect education, for work, because workplaces already have Covid-secure guidelines.’

The rules around gatherings apply largely to ‘social settings’ – and as a gym qualifies as a workplace and a business this would mean it doesn’t need to close.

So you’re fine to work out by yourself or even with a friend – but meeting in bigger groups are a no-no.

Are gym classes banned?

One area which could come into question is that of gym classes, which can often have more than six attendees.

However, these are also exempt from the rule, falling under the exemption for ‘organised indoor and outdoor sports, physical activity and exercise classes’.

This means that your weekly spin or zumba class can continue, as long as proper social distancing measures are put in place – but people in the class won’t be able to mix socially in groups of more than six before or after class.

The exemption only applies to organised sports – meaning you can’t have an impromptu five-a-side match in the park with your mates.

Elite sports are also exempt – meaning that football matches and other sporting events will also be allowed to go ahead.

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