Industry body ukactive has invited Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon to "visit gyms and leisure facilities", in order to see first-hand the measures the facilities are putting in place to protect customers and staff from COVID-19.

The invite was made after Sturgeon revealed that leisure facilities in Scotland would remain in lockdown "well into July" – because she believed they were "hotbeds" for spreading coronavirus.

Speaking at her daily press conference, Sturgeon said: "There is emerging evidence that places like pubs, restaurants and gyms can be hotspots for transmission, so it is really important we better understand this evidence and what further mitigation might be necessary to protect people in such spaces before we permit them to reopen."

In response to her comments, ukactive published a statement, saying: "We are disappointed to hear the words of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today, as she wrongly labelled gyms as hotspots for the transmission of COVID-19.

"We urge all leaders to make considered statements about the cleanliness and safety of gyms and leisure centres and work with the sector and its representatives to support their reopening.

"Today, we have issued an invite to Nicola Sturgeon, as well as the other party leaders, to visit our members’ gyms and leisure facilities, in order to see first-hand the measures in place to protect customers and staff from COVID-19.

"Our recommended framework for reopening has been reviewed by medical experts and includes increased sanitisation stations and processes such as regular wiping down of equipment, as well as equipment being spaced apart, reduced capacity, and more time between classes.

"Our sector is an open book and has already invited government and Public Health England officials out to sites to reassure them that gyms can safely implement social distancing.
No workforce is more passionate about the health and wellbeing of our citizens, so our members are taking proactive steps to ensure the highest possible standards of hygiene."

• To read the full ukactive statement, click here.