Viva Leisure received more than $6.2 million in JobKeeper during COVID crisis

In a disclosure to the Australian Stock Exchange, fitness and lifestyle company Viva Leisure Limited has revealed that it received $6,271,500 in JobKeeper relief payments during the last two financial years.

The disclosure advises that the Canberra-based company received $2,835,000 in the 2019/20 financial year, from when the relief package started on 30th March 2020, and $3,436,500 in the 2019/20 financial year, which it then paid to staff.

Viva Leisure also advised that the payments related to 318 staff in the 2019/20 year and 342 in the 2019/20 financial year.

The company paid the JobKeeper allowances received to eligible employees as a 'pass thru process'.

Just days before the Federal Government announced the JobKeeper package in late March last year, Viva-Leisure was forced to stand-down or let go more than 1,000 staff members in a 48 hour period when government measures to halt the spread of the Coronavirus halted the operations of fitness clubs, gyms and indoor sports centres across the country.

Despite this and the loss in member income, in August last year Viva Leisure Managing Director and Chief Executive, Harry Konstantinou hailed the business’ financial results for the 2019/20 financial year as “an outstanding result during an unprecedented period” while pointing to its multiple acquisitions having creating a foundation for further expansion.

In recent months, Viva Leisure’s share price has rebounded while a report last month tipped the company to grow substantially with its strategic, controlled and well-planned trajectory.

The company operates over fitness clubs within the Australian Capital Territory, NSW, Queensland and Victoria - with the majority operating under the Club Lime and Hiit Republic brands - along with franchised gym group Plus Fitness.

Market update 17th November
In its latest bi-monthly update, Viva Leisure has advised that membership has returned to 99% of the June 2021 (pre COVID-19 lockdowns) member numbers, and that, for November 2021, the group has exceeded the June 2021 member numbers.

On LinkedIn, Konstantinou wrote "locations have increased to 314, and my favourite statistic, during October 2021, (is that) a member visited a Viva Leisure owned or franchised location every 2.4 seconds."