"We have been politically hung out to dry": Worries of Lancashire businesses as borough could face possible Tier 3 lockdown status

A move to Tier 3 would see a complete ban on the mixing of households both indoors and outdoors - and pub and bar owners would be forced to close their doors once again.

It would also place the responsibility in the hands of local politicians who would decide whether to pull down the shutters on gyms, hairdressers and beauty salons as well as other leisure facilities.

For Danielle Joyce, owner of Infinity Fitness, Longridge, being forced to close would send her back to ‘square one’.

She thinks that the government would need to provide increased support to enable them to be better prepared for another lockdown.

She said: “If gyms are forced to close again it would send us back to where we were in March at the start of lockdown and we would be at square one again.

“We will need an action plan in place such as taking classes online if that was the case, but definitely need to see more support from the government.

"Financially there are worries because we would need to make sure we are getting enough to cover our staff wages, rent and bills to carry on operating as we are.

“I think if gyms close again it would be absolutely ridiculous, gyms are some of the safest and cleanest places to be.”

Gyms in Liverpool, where Tier 3 restrictions are already in place due to rising coronavirus cases, are fighting back against their new temporary closures.

And following suit is James Calderbank, CEO of Team Training Preston. He has used social media site Facebook to spread his message and pleaded with council officials over the possible re-closure of gyms.

He said: “If the gyms had reason for closing and the spread of Covid was rife in gyms and backed up by science, I would support us closing because we don’t want to make anyone unsafe.