Owners of a gym have taken a defiant stance against the Government by telling their members they will remain open, despite being placed in tier three of the new lockdown restrictions.

Bosses at Empowered Fit on the Wirral in Merseyside posted an open letter on their social media channels saying the government had ignored studies showing gyms have very low transmission risks when it comes to the coronavirus, and are integral to people's mental health and wellbeing.

On Monday, Chris Ellerby-Hemmings, Thea Holden and their team posted the following: "We are staying open to our members

"Today the UK’s Government has took it upon themselves to close gyms in the North West, despite the overwhelming evidence that gyms are not a major spreader of Covid. 

"We respected the last lockdown although we financially suffered and only survived because of our amazing members. 

"However they now want us to close, with minimum financial support for six months. 

"We get no rent break, bills break both personally and as a business. 

"We are not staying open for financial gain but more for our members mental and physical well-being. 

"Gyms should be supported in fighting against Covid, obesity, mental health and many other conditions and diseases. 

"So let’s look at the facts and evidence that has lead us to this decision and what the Government should be looking at:

"UKActive published this study - www.ukactive.com/.../fitness-and-leisure-sector.../ 

"22 million gym visits resulted in a mere 78 Covid cases

"UK gyms are showing just 0.35 cases per 100,000 visits

"Gyms are still only showing 1.7 percent of cases, but they want to close us and keep restaurants open which have a higher rate of 9.6 percent cases, which is still CRAZY LOW so these should also stay open.

"Mental health - the gym helps so many people with their mental health daily. 

"Male suicide is now at an all time high.

"Data published by the Office for National Statistics on September 1 showed that in 2019 the suicide rate among men and boys was 16.9 deaths per 100 000, the highest since 2000 and slightly above the 2018 rate of 16.2 per 100 000. 

"The suicide rate among women and girls was 5.3 deaths per 100 000 in 2019, up from 5.0 per 100 000 in 2018 and the highest since 2004.

"Overall, 5,691 suicides (4303 in men and boys) were registered in England and Wales in 2019, giving an age standardised rate of 11 deaths per 100 000 people. 

"A total of 5,420 were registered in 2018 (10.5 per 100 000).

"Further supported by this academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/113/10/707/5857612 which discusses suicide, mental health and COVID

"The Government has ignored all the above facts and evidence and even ignored the calls of the Great Barrington Declaration where 7,000 scientists and medics worldwide are calling for a new strategy to allow us to live our lives independent.co.uk/.../coronavirus-lockdown... 

"Joe Anderson, the Mayor of Liverpool has also today, stated he does not agree with the measures the government are enforcing on Merseyside  and they did not let him have a say about HIS REGION and that the government are “more interested in what they look like, rather than the evidence” . 

"So Joe I ask you to stand with us, stand with our members, our members who have worked the front line throughout who need a place to escape, to turn off and look after both their body and mind. 

"Kind regards 

"Thea, Chris and the EmpoweredFIT team."

Lancashire Telegraph:

Their post included a number of links to research, including the following from UK Active, an organisation that exists to improve the health of the nation by getting more people, more active, more often, in which the data from more than 1,500 facilities across the country showed that the prevalence of the virus within the sector’s facilities remains extremely low.

The data was measured from July 25 to September 13, and showed that very few people are visiting gyms with the virus.

Their statement read: "Gyms and leisure facilities in the UK continue to follow strict Government guidance in order to remain open, ensuring social distancing among staff and customers, proper ventilation throughout, and comprehensive cleanliness protocols.

"The sector worked closely with the Government to develop the guidance for reopening safely, including UK Active facilitating site visits for the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and SAGE representatives to a range of facilities.

"Regular exercise has been shown to improve a person’s ability to regulate the immune system, which is essential for avoiding the severe symptoms of Covid-19."

Meanwhile more than 75,000 people have signed a petition to prevent gyms being closed under new lockdown measures which come into force in Liverpool on Wednesday.

However, Labour’s Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson has distanced himself from the gym move, saying it was a “Government decision not ours”.

Mr Anderson then Tweeted: “Me on Saturday to No 10 officials ‘Gyms are safer than supermarkets, more Covid-19 transmissions come from our schools and retail than gyms’.

“Response ‘we are not closing schools or restricting retail, so we can only go for hospitality and leisure.'”

On Tuesday evening, crowds gathered in Liverpool city centre as bars shut their doors for the final time.

Police were deployed to the Concert Square and Fleet Street areas to disperse the drinkers, with footage showing a police car driving through a crowd while revellers banged their hands on the side of the vehicle.