Gyms: Excitement mounts but group classes still limited

Gyms and leisure centres in the Harrogate district are preparing to reopen next week after more than three months of lockdown.

But although thousands of people in the district are desperate to start lunging, pressing and punching their way back to fitness, gym life won’t be completely back to normal.

Ongoing social distancing restrictions mean many group training classes still won’t be available.

Ryan Tansley, owner of CrossFit Harrogate, at Hornbeam Park, said he was looking forward to reopening but because it couldn’t offer structured classes, it would operate more along the lines of an open gym.

CrossFit Harrogate has offered discounted rates to members during lockdown, and provided Zoom classes and various challenges, such as performing the most burpees.

Mr Tansley said:

“People have had to adapt but it will be so good to get back to seeing people.”

No sparring allowed

Contact won’t be allowed at Harrogate boxing and martial arts gym H Hour Boxing and Kao Loi, when it reopens next week, which means no sparring and pad work.

Owner Rob Smith said it will operate predominantly as a fitness gym rather than a combat gym until the situation changes. He said:

“We will do boxing training for fitness but our bread and butter is training people to compete and that’s on hold.”

The gym has produced many champion fighters, including Thai boxer Rachael Jones MacKenzie, but the impact of lockdown has left its future uncertain.

Rob Smith is the head coach at H Hour Amateur Boxing Gym.

Mr Smith plans to skydive to raise £5,000 to keep the gym afloat three days before his 50th birthday next month.

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Ripon refurbishment

As owner of Intrim in Ripon for the last 18 years, Phill McKay has been flying the flag for independent gyms at a time when big chains have been taking over. He said:

“We are as excited as our members are. We have air-con going in this week and a gym makeover so we will be ready to receive old and new members. We have also rebranded and have new equipment planned.”

Phill McKay of Intrim

Absolute Fitness in Boroughbridge, run by former World’s Strongest Man competitor Darren Sadler, who now promotes the biggest strongman events on the planet, is also reopening on Monday.

Functional fitness in Knaresborough

Because it has outdoor space, Knaresborough functional fitness facility Black Wolf Fitness has been able to provide outdoor training since March 29.
Owner Ad Whiter said:
“We are so excited to get back to some form of normality and finally have our fitness community back at Black Wolf HQ.
“They are what has kept us alive during this topsy-turvy time, and we can’t wait to welcome them back and celebrate what is hopefully set to be a fantastic summer.”
Harrogate Gymnastics Club staged some outdoor sessions this week to prepare some gymnasts for the move inside next week.
A spokeswoman said:
“We are pretty much going back to the same restrictions as before the January lockdown with the addition of twice weekly testing for all staff.
“We have been on restricted numbers since we were allowed to reopen last year so for use things are similar to before Christmas.”

Pure Gym in Harrogate will open on Monday. The gym will be open 24 hours but studio classes will not begin until May 17.

Leisure facilities managed by Harrogate Borough Council are also due to resume on Monday. But again, things aren’t totally back to normal. A council spokesman said:

“The pool at The Hydro in Harrogate and Nidderdale Pool will reopen on April 12 for lane swimming and family sessions.

“Brimhams fitness centres at The Hydro, Nidderdale Leisure Centre and Ripon Leisure Centre will also reopen to members only.

“Turkish Baths Harrogate will reopen from this date for treatments only.”

New gym in Knaresborough despite closures elsewhere

Despite coronavirus forcing gyms to shut for four months, a new gym has managed to open near Knaresborough.

Black Wolf Fitness will open near Knaresborough, Rabbit Hill business park, in September. Its owners are determined to succeed with their first gym at the same time as other local fitness centres are having to close.

The opportunity came along during covid and one of its owner Adam Whiter said “we just went for it”. Within a 3000 square foot building, trainers and members are able to ensure social distancing during the classes.

Co-owner, Adam Whiter, said:

“The opportunity came through covid and we just went for it, we will be opening in September with an opening day on the 29th August. We want to make this a space for everyone we cater from people of olympic level to those in their 60’s wanting to stay fit. I’m not for a minute saying this was an easy decision we knew it wouldn’t be easy with gyms closing down. We’ve made the decision to fly against the wind and have some belief and we are ready for it.”

Black Wolf fitness gym

The gym is set to open in September with safety measures in place.

The gym focuses on cross-fit training – a high intensity interval style of training. Adam was introduced to this style of training whilst suffering from low mental health and left his job to pursue his passion. He added:

“I hope we succeed, we’ve all got the drive to make it work. We offer fitness but we also offer a positive and fun community and now more than ever I think that is important.”

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Elsewhere in the district a Harrogate gym had to enter liquidation after its owner said remaining closed for four months was an “economic challenge”.

Coronavirus also forced a popular personal trainer to suspend his classes after 30 years training people in Harrogate.

Gambaru family devastated by Harrogate gym closure

A mother, daughter, and son who all worked at Gambaru Fitness in Harrogate have been left devastated by its closure.

Emily Yeates, along with her brother Ben, followed in the footsteps of her mum Janelle who has worked at the gym for over 20 years before it became Gambaru and was widely known as the ‘mum of the gym’.

It was particularly painful for the Yeates family when they found out that the gym company had gone into liquidation four weeks ago.

The Harrogate gym did not reopen on July 25 when the government gave gyms the green light. At the time, the gym owners Jonathan Walker and John Walker said the announcement came with “challenging guidelines”.

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Both Janelle and Ben are now looking for full-time work. Emily, who did sports massages and beauty treatments at Gambaru for 10 years, has managed to get a part-time job to support her young baby.

Emily Yeates told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s been a big part of our lives. It was really hard to find out that Gambaru had gone into liquidation. This is particuarly difficult for me because I am having to start all over again with my treatments at a time when I have a baby to support.”

The Stray Ferret attempted to contact Gambaru Fitness yesterday but received no reply.

In the gym’s most recent Facebook post on July 23, it said:

“Due to ongoing negotiations, and business restructuring, at this present time we do not have an official opening date.”

Despite the gym’s closure Diveshack UK, which had a shop at Gambaru, is still open for business and will continue to trade remotely while discussions with the landlords continue.

Harrogate gym in liquidation after ‘economic challenge’ of lockdown

Gambaru Fitness has gone into liquidation after the owners spoke of the “economic challenge” of remaining closed for four months.

Jonathan Walker opened the Harrogate gym on Station Parade in 2006. He appointed liquidators on Friday to sell the company’s assets.

The gym is named after the Japanese phrase “to be the best you can be” and was open 24 hours a day. Jonathan Walker and John Walker were co-directors of the business from the outset.

Gambaru Fitness had in recent years opened up an “Adversity Awards” to recognise young people who had kept going when it was easier to give up.

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It did not reopen on July 25 when the government gave gyms the green light. At the time, the gym owners said the announcement came with “challenging guidelines”.

The Stray Ferret attempted to contact Gambaru Fitness but received no reply by the time of publication.

In the gym’s most recent Facebook post on July 23, it said:

“Due to ongoing negotiations, and business restructuring, at this present time we do not have an official opening date. We appreciate this may be frustrating, however we are sure you will understand the economic challenge we are under after being closed for four months. We are hopeful to have positive news shortly so please watch this space.”

Despite the gym’s closure Diveshack UK, which had a shop at Gambaru, is still open for business and will continue to trade remotely while discussions with the landlords continue.

‘Council now talking to us’ says union

Discussions have been held between the council and trade unions over plans to transfer sport and leisure services to a private company.

Unison has this morning confirmed that it has met with Harrogate Borough Council representatives to discuss the proposal to form a Local Authority Controlled Company (LACC) to run its leisure facilities.

Unison branch secretary David Houlgate said:

“We are thankful that the Council is now talking to us and the meeting yesterday was helpful.  We are also pleased that the Council has let us have some written detail too.  We need to take a good look at that but already we can make the following observations:

“Clearly the council has ambitious plans for new and upgraded facilities and we cautiously welcome this but it has to be remembered that sport and leisure is a discretionary service so we would not wish to see high spending in this area impact on other, more critical, services elsewhere which could put jobs at risk.”

As well as the council’s six six leisure centres and its Active Health service, the plans could include transferring Little Explorers Day Nursery, the Turkish Baths, and community centres in Jennyfield, Fairfax and Knaresborough to the LACC.

According to a report set to be considered by HBC’s cabinet next week, transferring services stands to save £222,000 in business rates and £76,000 in VAT, with improved financial performance of £130,000 per year. There would be additional costs of £144,000, leaving savings of £284,000 per year, in the council’s figures.

The council has projected an increase in revenue of around £500,000 – equivalent to 10 percent of its current income – as a result of being run by a single-focus company.

The report also states that the council commissioned four studies into its leisure services in and alternative ways of delivering them, in 2018. It adds:

“SLL’s final report was presented to Cabinet on December 16, 2019 and as a result cabinet agreed in principle to progress the creation of a Company to run its sport and leisure facilities and services.”

Discussions between HBC and unions this week follow a public disagreement between them. Unison said on Monday it was disappointed that the council had failed to make any contact with its members – a claim which HBC branded “ridiculous”.

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The council consulted with residents last month about the proposals. In the report to cabinet, the results show 46 percent of the 433 people who responded either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the plans. Twenty-seven percent agreed or strongly agreed, while 27 percent neither agreed nor disagreed.

“We have seen the council report and it would appear that this decision was actually taken last year, so we do wonder what the point of the recent resident’s survey was.  Having now seen the survey responses it does seem to confirm our view that there is not much support from the 433 residents who responded, for sport and leisure to be run by a LACC.”

The union has welcomed measures to protect employees, including keeping them in the local government pension scheme. However, it raised concerns about changing terms and conditions after the LACC is formed, and the possibility that an outside provider will be found to run services in future.

The proposals to create the LACC will be put before the council’s cabinet when it meets online next Wednesday, June 17.