Sports centres managed by Active Northumberland to reopen with pre-booking required

Under the new government regulations, re-opening will be phased, with gym and swimming sessions permitted, including children's swimming lessons.

While indoor fitness classes are still prohibited, outdoor bootcamp sessions are being introduced at Willowburn in Alnwick, Ashington, Blyth, Concordia in Cramlington, Wentworth in Hexham and Ponteland sports and leisure centres.

Outdoor pitches and 3G pitches will re-open for organised groups and indoor racquet sports will also be permitted for the same household or social bubble in certain centres.

The popular Clip n’ Climb will also re-open at Ponteland and at Concordia.

Thorough cleaning measures will include a 30 minute closure of the gym after each session to enable the cleaning of equipment. There will also be anti-bacterial wipes available for members to wipe down their equipment and hand sanitiser points.

Mark Warnes, acting chief executive of Active Northumberland said: “We are delighted that we have had the green light to reopen the centres, albeit in a limited capacity.

"It’s been a tough 12 months for everyone and exercise has never been so important for reducing stress, boosting the mood and having a positive impact on our mental wellbeing.

“Our team are really looking forward to welcoming our customers back through the doors to resume their fitness regimes. Please be rest assured that health, hygiene and safety remain our top priorities.”

To enable social distancing anyone wishing to use the facilities must pre-book a place from the Active Northumberland website or app as numbers will be limited.

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