AN OSWESTRY gym owner and a local personal trainer admit they have concerns for both the physical and mental health of gym users ahead of a second lockdown.

Jimmy Hayns, owner of Evolution Gym, and Luke Smith of Imperium Personal Training, have branded the decision to include gyms in the list of businesses set to close if the lockdown is imposed, as nonsensical.

And the pair insist their concern for the overall health of gym members vastly outweighs their concerns from a business standpoint.

Jimmy said: “It’s incredibly frustrating at the moment, but it hasn’t been fully rubber-stamped yet as far as we’re concerned.“The entire thing is nonsensical – especially at a time we’re trying to fight back against diabetes and obesity, as well as trying to support mental health.

“I have a duty of care to around 300 members at this gym, and I know there are some people I will have to keep a close eye on in the coming weeks because they won’t be able to take it.

“People are scared about what is going to happen.

“There are people who give their life and soul to being in the gym, and it’s being taken away from them again.”

“Then you have the older generation as well whose only social life might be in here and it’s what keeps them going.

“I do worry for my members. The one thing which needs looking after is people’s physical and mental health.

“No-one’s saying Covid doesn’t exist or isn’t a problem, but it’s not the only thing we’ve got to worry about and I think the fallout of it is going to be astronomical.”

A study conducted by UK Active stated only 78 cases of Covid-19 were reported among 22 million visits to gyms across England between July 25 and September 13.

After a campaign was launched earlier this year to tackle obesity in the UK, Jimmy and his colleagues are questioning why gyms are set to close again.

He added: “If we were part of the problem, then we’d have to hold our hands up, but we aren’t.

“We’re not part of this problem, we’re part of the solution. There’s no logic to it and if I’m honest, I can’t see our industry just taking this on the chin.

“It’s cold season and people will be encouraged to go out for a run in the cold and dark and potentially pick up a cold while we’re supposed to be protecting people from respiratory illness – it’s bonkers.

“It is a decision which we feel has been rushed beyond belief. The facts are there and data suggest we most definitely aren’t part of the problem.”

Personal trainer, Luke, echoed Jimmy’s thoughts. and described the inclusion of gyms in the lockdown as hard to take.

He said: “I’m very disappointed with the inclusion of gyms and leisure facilities in the next lockdown.

“The frustration for us comes from the contradicting data and information the government is consistently putting out regarding how safe gyms are and that they are part of the solution to fighting this virus, not the cause.

“It’s hard for us to accept it because we know the effect this lockdown will have on some of our clients and members.

“We all know how important exercise is for our mental health – suicide rates haven’t been this high since 2000 and this is before we head into another lockdown.

“It’s hard to sit back and watch this happen.”

And the pair say the news is harder to take knowing gyms situated a few miles away across the border in Wales are permitted to reopen next Monday.

Jimmy added: “We’re Covid-secure and we received a Public Health visit a few weeks back and were told what we’re doing is very impressive.

“I have spent an absolute fortune [to make gym Covid Secure], money that I’ve not really got.

“To go onto the financial package they are offering now is insulting.

“It’s not even just about the gyms – everything is essential to someone.

“People who like to spend their time at the pub for example, that’s essential to them, it’s social and you need that.”