Reopening dates and plans for Cambridge gyms and pools confirmed
Gyms and swimming pools run by Better leisure in Cambridge will have a phased reopening from July 25.
A schedule has been set out for venues across the city by GLL, the charitable social enterprise that operates Better leisure centres on behalf of Cambridge City Council.
It is hoped to be able to open the Jesus Green Lido first, on Saturday, July 25.
From July 27, gyms, studio space and pools will reopen at Parkside Pools and Gym, and the gyms and studios only will also reopen at the Abbey Leisure Complex.
All facilities will need to be pre-booked via the Better app or website.
Equipment within gym areas will be reduced to maintain 2m social distancing between users, while some fitness classes will be relocated to sports halls or, weather permitting, the open air. Swimming pools will operate with double-width lanes
Hand sanitiser will be available throughout the buildings, staff will run a new and enhanced cleaning regime, and customers will be asked to wipe down the equipment they have used.
Cherry Hinton Leisure Centre and King’s Hedges Learner Pool will not reopen in the initial phase, but members will be able to use alternative facilities at no additional cost, with all Better members given access to all Better-operated facilities within Cambridge for the foreseeable future.
There will also be the option to continue to freeze memberships, and the same offer will be available to members who are not confident in returning to leisure centres initially or who might have health conditions that put them at higher risk of infection from Covid-19.
Daryl Emes, Better partnership manager for Cambridgeshire, said: “After nearly four months of lockdown, we’re delighted to finally be able to reopen three of our leisure facilities, albeit at reduced capacity initially.
“Our key priorities are to ensure customer and staff safety and build customer confidence. That’s why we’re phasing in our reopenings – to ensure that the systems we have put in place to be Covid-secure are working at an optimum level, before we roll out further.
“We recognise that some people may be worried about returning to their local leisure facilities, so we will continue to offer free access to online fitness and exercises classes via our Better app.”
Sign up to our weekly newsletter for a digest of the best stories straight to your inbox.
Read more
Plans being put in place for reopening of leisure centres and gyms in Cambridge