Most Warrnambool gym owners welcome reopening from Saturday under new COVID-19 rules

With the expectation Victoria's 70 per cent first-jab target would be met throughout the course of the day, Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Thursday gyms and pools in regional Victoria would re-open from midnight tomorrow, with the exception of Ballarat.

Under the new rules, gyms would have to return to a capacity caveat, with just 10 people indoors and 20 outdoors.

Rudy's Boxing owner Rodney Ryan said the announcement was great news for his members, who had missed having a social outlet.

"It's exciting," he said.

"I'm really happy about it. I think any time you can get back to doing what you love, that's a good thing. Whether there are 10 people or 100, that's great. People are looking to get their lives back in order and we help to facilitate that.

"There's the mental health aspect as well - our gym has a family atmosphere, so a lot of the people who haven't been in for a while are sort of missing their social outlet as well, so just being around people you can have a laugh with and work out with is really important.

"To get back on Saturday is going to be important for a lot of members and also gym owners who can start getting some money back and get their business up and running again."

But for Warrnambool 24/7 Gym owner Stuart Roe, today's announcement offered little relief.

"It's no good," Mr Roe said.

"They'll allow 10 inside - we're 1500 square metres. We could have 300 people in our venue, but give us 10 and that allows them to take any government funding off us because we're now open."

He said opening with just 10 people and the possibility of discontinued government funding was daunting.

"It's a real kick in the guts," he said.

"Unless they'll say because it's just 10 you'll still get funding, but I doubt it. There's one rule for a gym my size and the same rule for a gym a tenth the size of mine, it just doesn't work."

Wilson Athletic owner Jason Wilson said despite the density limit, today's announcement gave him "something to work with".

"You just have to do the right thing and roll with the punches," he said.

"The main thing is to get our members who have been working and training outside back inside and doing what they love, training properly the way they want to.

"It gives our members something to look forward to and gives them what they deserve - our members have been supporting us throughout, so it gives them something back."

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