Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Excitement and stress as businesses open in level 2

Snap Fitness Papamoa manager Georgia McCulloch. Photo / George Novak

Bay of Plenty business owners have been scrambling to set up their premises in time for the first day back in level 2 today.

Hairdressers, barbers and businesses providing personal care services must wear a face covering and keep 2 metres apart from their clients, except for when close physical contact is needed, according to the official Covid-19 website.

Indoor sports facilities such as gyms, swimming pools, dance studios and health clubs can open but also need to stick to the 2m rule, clean equipment after use, and wear face masks unless exercising.

Snap Fitness Pāpāmoa manager Georgia McCulloch said staff worked through the day yesterday to either move equipment 2m apart or mark it as out-of-bounds as the gym got a level 2 shake-up.

The group fitness classes would be suspended throughout level 2, she said, as the space was too small, and they were focused on keeping members safe.

Equipment that was difficult to sanitise, such as boxing gloves, has been removed completely to avoid any risks.

Members and staff would need to wear a mask every time they weren't exercising, like filling up a drink bottle, when they entered and exited or having an extended rest break.

McColloch said while their members were understanding and co-operative, she had told staff to stop those not wearing masks when they needed to, explain the importance, and ask them to leave if they continued to refuse.

"The key for us is making sure we're over-communicating ... Once we deliver a message, we never have any issues. Our community is amazing."

The 24/7 gym would continue to operate in full, with staffed hours ending at 7pm every weekday except Friday, with no staff on the weekend, and surveillance monitored when there was no staff.

There had also been a "surprising" number of online inquiries over lockdown from people keen to join the gym, which McCulloch put down to people reflecting on their health and fitness goals.

Snap Fitness Papamoa manager George McCulloch. Photo / George Novak

During the lockdown, the gym paused memberships but continued live classes through Zoom and promoted mental health.

Assemblage Hair owner Hayley Pullyn said it was "a bit stressful trying to accommodate three weeks worth of clients when fully booked all the time anyway".

She said hair was very personal for people and there was some anxiety from clients who wanted to have their hair done as they headed back to work.

"The challenge is real trying to rebook everyone."

Pullyn said it was "sad" to have to turn new clients away who may wait a month for a weekday appointment, and up to three months for an evening or weekend appointment.

The trickiest thing to manage, she said, was navigating how to cut and colour around the mandatory masks.

She also said there was some confusion over whether clients needed to wear them or not, and they would insist clients did.

In terms of fixing up lockdown home jobs, she said "most people had learnt from experiences last time".

In Rotorua, Caged Kickboxing and Muay Thai co-owner Chris Leigh said financially they had about two more months, and then the gym would shut for good.

The 2m distance and masks were an "impossibility" for the small 250sq m gym and couldn't open under current level 2 restrictions.

"I thought we'd put all this work in to actually get somewhere. It's not really fair."

He said it was "not a typical gym" as they taught not only self-defence but self-respect in the tight-knit community of 50 members.

He said while they managed to bounce back last year, he thought it was likely they would need to shut for good.

The gym was a non-profit that didn't make money or fundraise, relying on people to pay their fees.

Leigh and his business partner both worked fulltime and took no money out of the gym, he said.

"We don't do it for the money."

"Basically, the gym's got two more months, then we'll be closing up ... last time we managed to bounce back, but this time, I'm not sure.

The business partners worked their way up from eight years in a shed to a year at a storage unit before moving to their current building, splitting the rent to afford it.

"We're not begging for help ... if it goes, it goes and then we just try again.

Jenny's Beauty Spot is already booked out this week and said the backlog would be at least two weeks as she got through her regular clients.

Eyelash extensions and laser treatments for skin pigmentation or hair removal were the most in-demand service, owner Jenny Zhong said.

She said her regular clients were "like family" and she was prioritising their needs before taking on new clients.

Lockdown had been anything but a break for her, she said, with new equipment and products coming in that she worked through the three weeks to train up and keeping her business running.