Gyms across Liverpool are set to reopen as the Government has agreed to standardise its tier 3 lockdown restrictions.
It comes after widespread anger across Merseyside as gyms have been allowed to remain open in Lancashire, despite also entering the same ‘very high’ risk tier.
Greater Manchester is also set to move into tier 3 on Friday, yet the Government has not said fitness facilities need to close as part of this.
Despite this gyms and other fitness amenities have been closed in Liverpool since the area went into stricter lockdown measures last week.
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But Liverpool Metro mayor Steve Rotheram has confirmed Whitehall bosses have agreed tier 3 restrictions will be standardised, which will mean that gyms and leisure centres can reopen.
It comes after health secretary Matt Hancock said last night he would discuss with MPs about the possibility of gyms reopening in Liverpool and across Merseyside.
Speaking in the House of Commons, MP for Halton Derek Twigg said: ‘Given that Lancashire and now Manchester in Tier 3 will be able to keep their gyms open, can I simply ask the Secretary of State, will he either use the Government’s powers or give the powers to local council leaders in Halton and Merseyside to reopen gyms in that area?’
Mr Hancock replied: ‘Why don’t we have a conversation about it and see whether we can make any progress?’
The standardisation of tier 3 lockdown rules comes after increased pressure from Conservative backbenchers in the Commons.
Damien Moore, Conservative MP for Southport, called on Matt Hancock on Monday to ‘get our gyms open’, and described them as ‘part of the solutions, not part of the problem’.
Mr Moore added: ‘The gyms in Lancashire are open, the gyms in Merseyside are closed. The deal that was struck for us wasn’t a good deal for my constituents in Southport.’
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/21/gyms-in-tier-3-lockdown-city-allowed-to-reopen-13455069/