NSW Deputy Premier expects gyms to be open again by July

With ongoing easing of Coronavirus restrictions in the state, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has suggested that gyms and fitness centres could reopen as of July.

With the NSW Government this week announcing that, from 1st June, restrictions on regional travel will be lifted and libraries and museums allowed to open, Deputy Premier Barilaro claimed gym will likely be back in business “in the next month or so” once surface hygiene protocols have been established.

Interviewed on radio station 2GB, he predicted gyms, yoga studios, and beauticians could also be back in business in the coming month or so.

Comparing fitness facilities to bars, clubs and restaurants, which will be allowed to host 50 seated patrons from 1st June, Deputy Premier Barilaro stated "(bars and restaurants are) no different to yoga studios, a whole range of other areas, beauticians, you name it, we're still working with all of those, but we're not talking September (for reopening), no way in the world.

“I’m confident, if the industry plan is right, we’ll be able to make announcements around that.

"We're looking at all these restrictions coming off over the next month or so."

However, the Deputy Premier Barilaro warned against making “knee jerk reactions” and lifting restrictions too quickly, adding “every time we lift a restriction there’s about a ten-day lag before we get data to see if there’s been a spike in infections.”

ClubsNSW today confirmed the state's clubs will reopen on 1st June.

The increase in patronage aligns with the easing of regional travel restrictions across the state and the opening of museums, galleries and libraries on that date.

In a statement, Australian Hotels Association NSW Chief Executive John Whelan said 94% of the hotels' workforce had been stood down or sacked - but from June 1 the industry could start re-employing staff.