Gyms and Libraries to have a 'phased reopening' across Gateshead

A general view of Gateshead Stadium
Gateshead Stadium Credit: PA

Gateshead Council has announced plans to reopen some services over the coming weeks.

While the Government announced that indoor sport and leisure activity could recommence from 25 July, the Council chose to keep all their leisure centres closed beyond this date for health and wellbeing reasons.

However, with infection rates remaining low and advice from the Director of Public Health, they'll now begin a phased reopening of some of our indoor and outdoor facilities. 

What opens when?

From 17th August

  • Gateshead International Stadium gym and outdoor facilities including athletics tracks

  • Birtley Leisure Centre gym

  • 3G pitches at Gateshead International Stadium and Blaydon Leisure and Primary Care Centre for sports club bookings. 

From 7th September

  • Central Library

  • Chopwell Library

  • Crawcrook Library

  • Pelaw Library

(All Libraries subject to revised opening times)

Further proposals around a phased approach to reopening the remaining leisure facilities and services including swimming pools will follow, as will a timeline for reopening the remaining libraries - Birtley, Blaydon, Leam Lane and Wrekenton. All library service group-based activities will remain suspended, as will group bookings of library community rooms.

During lockdown improvements have been made to the gyms - which now have brand new equipment alongside with the necessary measures being put in place to exercise safely. 

All direct debit payments will remain suspended and members will be contacted with the options for their return to the centres and advice on when payments will recommence. Continued suspensions will be available to those not yet wishing to return to our facilities.

Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “We have undergone significant change over the last five months, adapting and responding rapidly to changing circumstances and government guidance. We’ve created new services, stopped others, staff have been redeployed and new working practices have been put in place to protect Gateshead.

“The focus throughout this has been on the continued delivery of essential services, especially for the most vulnerable in our communities, while looking to prevent the spread of the virus. To do this we have had to adapt service delivery and stop some non-essential services.

However, Councillor Gannon stressed the reopening of services is conditional on the public health situation in Gateshead.

“The response from the Council workforce and that of our partners has been exceptional throughout this period, particularly given the significant challenges that we have all faced. Many of our employees have gone above and beyond in order to ensure we can continue to deliver essential services effectively, and I want to once again thank them and acknowledge their efforts.”