Welsh Conservative leader “bemused” why gyms will have to stay closed until May 10

A roadmap out of lockdown has been announced by the first minister of Wales Mark Drakeford.

He has set out a series of measures that will take Wales fully into Alert Level 3 by 17th May, but that is subject to public health conditions remaining favourable.

Indoor gyms will be given the green light to reopen from May 10, a month later than gyms in England.

Welsh Conservative leader, Andrew RT Davies (pictured top left) says he’s “bemused” as to why indoor gyms in Wales will have to remain shut until May.

Speaking to BBC Radio Breakfast this morning, Mr Davies said that gyms had been “highlighted” by the Welsh Government’s minister for mental health as being a  “really important part of the reopening process” nearly two months ago.

He said, they “are still not going to be given the green light until well into May.”

“When a minister whose responsibility is mental health and well being, identifies gyms as a key plank in dealing with the issues that have been thrown up by the pandemic and yet here we are now getting some indication that there’s going to be well into me before gyms are allowed to reopen.”

“You really do have to question the decision making process around and the choices that the government are making.”

Mark Drakeford said the risks involved in opening indoor gyms now “will be too great for the position we are in.”

He told the BBC, “We will exhaust the reopening of outdoor activities first.”

“The first indoor activity that we will allow to happen in Wales will be gyms leisure centres and fitness.”

“I don’t disagree, of course with the mental health as well as the physical health benefits of gyms.”

“They are obviously not the only way in which people in Wales able to take exercise.”

“We have put them at the top of the list for the reopening of indoor facilities ahead of other things which other people will argue would have benefited far more people like the reopening of community centres and indoor classes.”

“But because of the cases made about the mental as well as the physical health benefits of reopening gyms, they are the first indoor activities that we will reopen.”

“They now have a definite date, they can plan they can prepare they can make sure that they are as safe as they need to be for people in Wales and outdoor gyms, of course, have been reopened in Wales for the last three weeks.”

Other key dates in the easing of lockdown in Wales.

All children and students in Wales will return to face-to-face education on Monday 12 April.

All remaining non-essential retail and close contact services will be allowed to reopen from Monday 12 April, while the rules will also be changed to allow travel into and out of Wales from the rest of the United Kingdom and Common Travel Area. Changes remain subject to public health conditions continuing to remain favourable.

On Monday 26 April:

Outdoor attractions, including funfairs and theme parks, would be allowed to reopen;
Outdoor hospitality can resume, including at cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Indoor hospitality will remain restricted.

On Monday 3 May:

Organised outdoor activities for up to 30 people can again take place;
Weddings receptions can take place outdoors, but will also be limited to 30 people.

On Monday 10 May:

Gyms, leisure centres and fitness facilities can reopen.

This will include individual or one-to-one training but not exercise classes;
Extended household will again allow two households to meet and have contact indoors.

Preparations will be made to allow the following relaxations to be considered at the review on 13 May by the next Welsh Government, subject to public health conditions remaining favourable.

The reopening/resumption of the following, from the first week of the new cycle, i.e. Monday 17 May:

Children’s indoor activities.

Community centres;
Organised indoor activities for adults, limited to a maximum of 15 people. This includes exercise classes.

After 17 May, to consider enabling indoor hospitality and remaining visitor accommodation to reopen in advance of the Spring Bank Holiday at the end of May.