Gyms in the Liverpool City Region should be reopened urgently as they are “part of the solution” for tackling the Covid -19 pandemic, MP Damien Moore told Parliament on Monday.

The Southport Conservative MP urged Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock to reopen the facilities, which were closed following agreement between Liverpool City Region council leaders and the Department for Health when the Tier 3 restrictions came into force last Wednesday (14th October).

Mr Moore, who has spent the past few days campaigning tirelessly on behalf of gym owners and members, was told by the Health Secretary that “nobody has stood up for gyms in this country more”.

Speaking in a debate in the House of Commons, he said: “The (Tier 3) deal that was struck was not a good deal for my constituents in Southport.

“Will the Secretary of State review these restrictions as soon as possible and get our gyms open?

“They are part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock MP said he would consider Mr Moore’s argument, but stressed that the restrictions introduced in the Liverpool City Region area last week had been made in agreement with council leaders in the local area.

He said: “Nobody has stood up for gyms in this country more than my Right Honourable Friend (Damien Moore) and he has made this argument endlessly to me.
“He stands up for Southport and I will take this point away.

“But as I have said, these decisions were taken in agreement with the local area and we want to, as much as possible, make agreements with local areas so that we can all give out the same public health messages which is if everybody follows the rules then we are more likely to get this under control and get the Liverpool City Region out of Tier 3 altogether.”

Council leaders in Lancashire agreed different Tier 3 restrictions with the Government last week, with gyms in Lancashire allowed to remain open at the request of council leaders there.

Southport MP Damien Moore said: “Steve Rotherham said last week that the government imposed the closure of gyms on Merseyside.

“On Monday (19 October), the government made it clear that the decision was made “in agreement” with local leaders.

What the Mayor says behind closed doors and in public are two different things.
“He’s back-peddling and knows it’s his failure to represent our region effectively in these talks that led to gyms closing.

“We’ve been walked all-over in comparison to Lancashire and Greater Manchester.
“We need to reopen gyms across our region and promote positive physical and mental health
at the earliest opportunity.

I spoke with the Health Secretary today who said that he would review gym closures on
Merseyside and confirmed that there would be an opportunity for local authorities to review

this decision in the near future under the ‘sunset clause’.

“It was also confirmed to me today that personal trainers and fitness classes can take place
outdoors with no restrictions, provided it is in a private space and risk assessments are in
place.
“I’m determined to support gym owners and their members in Southport and the wider
Merseyside region.”