Everything you need to know about gyms, swimming pools and beauty salons reopening

The government has announced that leisure facilities and beauty services in England will be allowed to reopen this month.

The latest updates to lockdown restrictions include the reopening of gyms, swimming pools and the much-anticipated beauticians. 

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said ‘normal life is slowly returning’ at the Downing Street news conference last night.

He said: “Having allowed hairdressers to reopen, beauticians, tattooists, spas, tanning salons and other close contact services can now do the same, I’m pleased to say, from Monday.

“Of course that will be subject to some restrictions on particularly high-risk services.” 

Gyms can also now reopen and people will not be expected to wear face coverings. While changing rooms will be open where possible, people are encouraged to shower and change at home. 

Other measures will include limiting the number of people that can use a facility at any one time, reducing the size of classes and spacing out the equipment – there will also be strict cleaning procedures in place.

Regarding sports, club cricket can return this Saturday with limited numbers of spectators. Guidance has been published for competitive grassroots team sports to resume, but each sport will have to submit an action plan to the government.

People can attend an outdoors sports event in small numbers, providing they are in groups of no more than two households or no more than six people, while adhering to social distancing measures. 

At the Downing Street briefing, Mr Dowden said: “I’m really urging people to get out there and to play their part: buy the tickets for outdoor plays and musical recitals, get to your local gallery and support your local businesses.

“Our fight began with a collective effort and I really hope it will end with one.

“At the beginning, we all stayed at home to protect the NHS and save lives, now the British public has a new part to play. It’s time to eat out to help out, to enjoy the arts to help out and to work out to help out.

“It’s over to all of you to help the country recover safely.”

Beauticians can reopen but not all beauty treatments will be able to go ahead. For instance, face waxing, sugaring or threading services, facial treatments, make-up applications and eyebrow treatments are all deemed too high-risk. Beard trimming is allowed, however. 

The full list of treatments that still aren’t allowed:

• Face waxing, sugaring or threading services
• Facial treatments
• Advanced facial technical (electrical or mechanical)
• Eyelash treatments
• Make-up application
• Dermarolling
• Dermaplaning
• Microblading
• Electrolysis on the face
• Eyebrow treatments
• Intricate detailing, outlining or shaving of beards
• Advanced beauty therapy and aesthetic treatments

The businesses that can now reopen include: 

• Outdoor pools and outdoor theatres from July 11th
• Grassroots sports from July 11th
• Beauticians, tattooists, spas, tanning salons from July 13th (subject to restrictions)
• Indoor gyms, indoor swimming pools and sports facilities from July 25th.
• Singing and playing brass and wind instruments will be allowed in professional environments
• Small indoor performances with socially distanced audience can be piloted