– The second craziest day of my life – E24

– That was it, sighs Sandra Angelil, general manager of Myren’s gym at Torshov in Oslo.

She just got the message from City Council Leader Raymond Johansen (Labor). Starting Tuesday, all gyms in Oslo will close again, initially for three weeks.

An hour earlier, Bergen had announced the same thing, so Angelil was prepared. Still, it feels like a shock, he says, which seemed unthinkable just days before.

– This is the second craziest day of my life, just behind March 12, which was the last time they told us to close, he says.

Preparing layoffs

The worst is for employees, says the manager of the center, pointing to a wall with photos of personal trainers.

Myrens has around 60 employees, but a large proportion of them work part-time, often in conjunction with studies.

Next week, Angelil should start considering layoffs. The answer to that question depends on how long the shutdown lasts and the kind of help they receive from the authorities.

The employer’s wage obligation in the event of dismissal is now ten days, after the two-day regime expired in August. The compensation scheme for loss of income also does not apply.

– I hope there are measures. They can’t shut us down and then do nothing else, says Sandra Angelil.

Rate: unclear if employees will be fired

As a result of the new austerity measures, the chain of fitness centers Sats will have to close 53 centers in Bergen and Oslo.

The Bergen centers will be closed from next Saturday until November 23, while the Oslo centers will close from next Tuesday until December 1.

The chain does not yet know if they will lay off employees during the new shutdown. You also don’t know what they want to do with your clients’ memberships.

– We will also come back with more information about it. Now we sit in meetings and talk, Selander tells E24 on Friday afternoon.

At the same time, Evo Fitness advises that they will freeze all memberships immediately where their centers close.

One last workout

Sandra Angelil from Myrens in Oslo says they have lost about 250 members, which corresponds to 8-9 percent of members, compared to before the crown.

Getting back to this level will take up to two years, wait.

Among the members who have continued to use the center is Robin Gravrok. He says that he understands the decision of the city council and that now we just have to make the most of the situation.

– I knew it was a press conference today at one, so I ran away here after work, so I had to do one last training session. Then I got the news and I really have the last few minutes waiting to be kicked out, he says when E24 meets him on Friday afternoon.

However, Robin Gravrok, who trains five or six days a week, had time to complete the session, and he did. The centers don’t have to close until Monday. So Gravrok and others who want to keep their shape must find alternatives.

The 26-year-old will replace cables and manuals with elastics and deadlifts on the living room floor.

– So fortunately I have a physical job as a concrete worker.

Critical

Alexander Öberg (28) is, however, more critical of the closure, as he has been sweating after cross training at Sats in central Oslo.

– It’s not really necessary. I think there are other things you can do to avoid it. You can get better on the tram and on the subway with a mask, says Öberg.

He says he uses the gym three to five days a week.

– They are almost two meters between people and in group classes there are at least one and a half meters between people. I feel like the risk of getting infected in a gym is minimal, says Öberg.

– You can only stay away from beer, ice cream and fatty foods again in the future, Öberg says.

– Not good for public health

In Myrens, Sandra Angelil emphasizes that she understands the decision of the authority when the objective now is social closure.

At the same time, you have the feeling that a total stop would not have been necessary.

– For example, I expected measures that would further limit the number of customers. We do our best to maintain safe operation and as far as I know there are almost no cases of infection dating back to gyms.

The last time the gyms had to close, Myrens started various forms of renovation work. The wardrobe renovations still remain, but they can’t move that fast, says Angelil. So there are probably three quiet weeks ahead.

– Not good, neither for us nor for the guests. There are some clients who say that with a home office and everything in between, this is one of the few places they see other people. Shutting down all physical activity is not good for public health.