Gym and dance studio owners say they are feeling disappointed to be 'left behind again' with the easing of restrictions in regional Victoria.
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Indoor sport and recreation facilities will remain closed despite the lifting of lockdown restrictions in regional Victoria on Friday.
Spartans Gym and Supplements Ballarat manager Zac Budge said it was 'extremely disappointing' for the health and fitness industry.
We try to remain optimistic and hope it is sooner rather than later.
- Zac Budge, Spartans Gym and Supplements
"We're effectively not making any money, everything gets put on hold," he said.
"It is disappointing for members. People go to the gym for physical and psychological benefits. For a lot of people they are an outlet.
"There is that uncertainty of not knowing how long we will be closed. We try to remain optimistic and hope it is sooner rather than later."
Mr Budge said he believed his gym could operate safely in the current environment and it did not make sense facilities like pubs could be open while gyms were closed.
The Dance Studio owner Shelley Ross said she understood the reasons behind the decision, but felt sad gyms and dance studios were 'always left to last' when restrictions were eased.
"It is so important that everyone does stay safe... but it is hard because you brace yourself for the easing of restrictions and you are always left out," she said.
Ms Ross said she had rescheduled some private lessons to run outside in the carpark and on the verandah of the studio, in line with restrictions that allow for outdoor recreation.
Running outdoor dance classes will not be a new experience as The Dance Studio took the same approach towards the end of last year coming out of lockdown, but the weather is much colder and wetter now.
"For everyone's mental health it is really important," she said.
"It is not just the dancing, it is all the social interactions that come with being in a dance studio and everyone coming together.
"I am hoping at the end of next week we are back at the studio.
"Everyone is more than happy to do social distancing, hand sanitising and QR codes to all be back doing what we love."
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A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said gyms and dance studios were closed because the 'nature of working out' carried a high risk of transmission due to sweat, heavy breathing and shared equipment.
"We understand everyone is making huge sacrifices and the closure of gyms and dance studios has been difficult," they said.
The spokesperson said there was an outbreak in a Victorian gym that had 27 cases linked to it during the second wave in 2020.
Iron Oak Gym owner Josh Driscoll said 24/7 gyms would have fantastic contact tracing ability as members were required use a key tag to enter the door.
"We know exactly what time they have come in," he said.
Mr Driscoll said Iron Oak had a cleaning roster, required members to bring towels to workouts and could have mask rules in place.
He said no income was coming into the business while the gym was closed as membership direct debits were put on hold, but there were still bills to pay.
"If I had no money saved I would be very stressed," he said.
"Members get really disappointed and a little bit lost and they will buy their own stuff and go home. It is a pretty uncertain.
"I am a little bit lost in it all still. I just take it as it comes and try not to speculate too much. I hate watching the news."
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Integrity Group Fitness Studio owner Tim Graham said he did not completely understand the decision to keep gyms closed, but accepted and respected it.
"Of course we would like to be open. It is easy to be emotional and say I just want to be open, but you have to trust the people who make the rules," he said.
"There must be reasons. I just have to trust that."
Mr Graham said the studio had continued running virtual classes since the first lockdown but there was a big income loss not being able to run classes at the studio.
He said his team of trainers would work to run classes outside in the carpark but he was still unclear on the restrictions for outdoor recreation.
A restriction guideline says '50 people per venue' are allowed outdoors with group sizes of a maximum of 10 people and the density quotient of one person per four square metres applies outdoors.
Mr Graham made attempts to enquire about what counted as an outdoor venue and how far apart groups of 10 had to be spaced.
"There is not a lot of clarity yet. It is hard to know what to do," he said.
Mr Graham said it was frustrating financially as his business slipped through the gaps of government support and he could not find a way to have his ineligibility for state government compensation reviewed.
"I have lost faith in that and that is why I say 'okay get on with what you can do'," he said.
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