GYMS and other fitness businesses in Ledbury are excited to re-open to the public.

After the government announced that gyms can re-open from tomorrow (Saturday, July 25), businesses in Ledbury have been preparing to welcome back members.

Shane Powell, owner of Edge Fitness and Therapies in New Street, said: “The therapy side of the business has started already, as the government has allowed this, but we wear PPE at all times and the gym side of what we do will be open tomorrow – we’re excited to be back.

“We’ll focus on one-to-one tuition as, that way, it keeps things safer and maintaining the correct distance.

“Visitors on the way in and out have the opportunity to wash their hands at the door and weights will be taken off the person and cleaned so they are not put directly back.

“As we are relatively small, we can monitor closely the social distancing at all times and step in when we need to.”

Carolyn Daniel, who runs yoga studio The Inner Place in The Homend, said: “We’ve been giving the place a real deep clean ready for a staged reopening this Thursday (July 30).

“We will, of course be open for one-to-one tuition from Thursday but we will be back to a full timetable in September, but we’ll run Zoom classes in case people are still unsure about coming along.

“Group classes will be kept small - no more than nine, everyone will have to bring their own equipment and we’ll of course be keeping a list of attendees for the NHS Track and Trace.”

Ollie Chapman, owner of Renaissance Fitness in Bye Street, said: “As a 24-hour gym, we have an app so members can see how busy the gym is before leaving their home, as we track people in the gym in real time.

“We’re going beyond the government guidelines and limiting the gym to 30 people at any one time.

"We're excited to be back but with a mix of trepidation, if I’m honest, as no gym owner knows how it’s going to be going forward.”

However, The Market Theatre in Ledbury has no plans to stage live performances again any time soon.

A spokesman said: “We have a regular meeting as a board of directors, looking at the health and safety and, at the moment, we have no immediate plans to re-open soon as a live performance space.

“We have talked about a trial film show, using members and to see how that works.”

Caroline Green, chair of the Ledbury Traders Association, said: “I’m really pleased that businesses are starting the process of either re-opening or looking to re-open this year.

“I understand that some might be worried but, as I’ve seen with the shopkeepers who have opened already, they’ll adapt - it’s just a matter of confidence and trying things gently.”