Gyms to reopen in SA from Monday, beauty salons and tattoo studios not far behind

Gyms across SA are making changes as they prepare to open next week, but some have already been confused by the maximum number of people allowed. Beauty salons are next to open.

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Gym members will have to book places before exercising to ensure capacity limits are maintained as gyms reopen from Monday under new coronavirus rules.

Under industry and government guidelines, businesses, such as F45, must limit class numbers to 10.

This is half the number some gyms had expected to be able to have.

A maximum of 20 people are allowed in a gym room doing individual workouts, not including personal trainers and gym staff, as long as social distancing rules are followed: one person per 4sq m and 1.5m between people.

Jo Sutton owns three F45 gyms – Pirie St city, Norwood and Kidman Park She had planned to reopen on June 2 but is now unsure.

Ms Sutton said the Government had led class-based gyms to believe they would be allowed to have 20 people at a time in their facilities but was shocked and disappointed to learn on Tuesday evening the rules had changed.

According to the Government’s COVID-19 website, gyms and indoor fitness businesses are only allowed to have a maximum of 10 people per class.

“We’ve just been blind-sided, everything is up in the air and we don’t know what we’re going to do,” she said.

“It’s not viable for us as a business. We don’t know if our businesses will survive.”

F45 Pirie Street owner Jo Sutton and head coach Adam Plociennik are thrilled they're able to open again next week. Picture: Tom Huntley

Ms Sutton said restrictions also would mean a 10-person class limit, about a quarter of their usual number.

But she hoped this restriction would be lifted in the coming weeks.

“We just have one big open space so we’re hoping they will let the number go up to 40 soon,” she said.

She said she was unsure if the gym would reopen next week.

Some gyms are asking members to reserve places online before a work out.

Fitness Australia suggests gyms ask members to register online for “fitness sessions”. Other recommendations include cordoning off common areas in which people might congregate.

Anytime Fitness will also have to limit participant numbers in their clubs.

Another large chain, Goodlife, is yet to contact members but its Western Australia reopening guidelines ask people to opt in to resume memberships, then register online to book classes with a 20-person limit.

Welland gym Prana Athletica intended to cap the number of people in its gym to 20 when it reopens on June 1. It usually caters for up to 40 clients.

“We’re just doing the best we can – we don’t have a choice other than to just follow the rules,” co-owner Coco Lombardi said.

Peak body Fitness Australia says its framework aligns with public health and Safe Work Australia recommendations, making suggestions including:

CREATING “fitness sessions” and requiring clients to register for them.

REMOVING or cordoning off common areas where people might congregate.

USING a speaker system to periodically remind clients to socially distance.

INCREASING space between equipment.

STAGGERING class times to allow at least 10 minutes between sessions.

Staggered reopening as salons vary dates

Some beauty salons and tattoo studios are planning to stick to their original reopening dates beyond the June long-weekend, saying it’s too difficult to change appointments already on the books.

Beauty salon owner Lauren O’Toole, who runs The Studio at Port Adelaide, said she had been working towards reopening the beauty side of her business on June 9 after the State Government originally said she could start trading from June 8. She will likely stick to this date even though the Government has said beauty salons can open from this Monday.

“You can’t just simply reopen when you’ve been shut for that long,” Ms O’Toole said. “We work by appointment so when we were given a date (the first time), I have a clientele of more than 200 people and we booked those people in. Then we get a date change – it just poses a big issue, juggling appointments.”

Ms O’Toole said many small businesses she had spoken to were also frustrated with the altered reopening date for similar reasons.

“I think a lot of beauty salons are going to stick with their original opening date,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms O’Toole said she was introducing extra measures at the business to keep clients safe.

“I’m quite a bit strict about the cleaning procedures anyway but on top of that I’ve asked the girls to make sure they disinfect the chairs between treatments … and I’ve had to get disposable cups and coffee mugs,” she said.

Hyde Park tattoo business Progression Tattoo is also sticking to its original reopening date of June 8.

“We’ve spent a lot of time reorganising appointments (for then),” owner Sam Deverson said. She said the studio was pleased it could reopen after being closed since March 22 and customers could expect some changes.

“We do follow a very strict hygiene protocol anyway but we will be taking the extra measures of wearing masks when tattooing, and people won’t be able to bring someone along with them to appointments,” she said.

Customers must make appointments in advance.

For Larissa Laganin’s North Adelaide beauty studio Eclipse Body Centre, it will be business as usual come Monday.

“It’s all back to normal for me,” she said. “I’m looking forward to it.”