Sport & Recreation Alliance guidance

Return to Bowling

The Sport & Recreation Alliance has printed a simple to follow guidance for sporting clubs to help them prepare for the return to sport. Here is an extract of the main section with access to the full article here.

On 29 March, England moved into Step 1 of the government’s published roadmap out of lockdown.

As a result, outdoor sports facilities, such as outdoor swimming pools, courts, golf courses, water sports venues and riding centres, are able to reopen. Changing rooms should not be used, except by people with disabilities, although toilet facilities can be accessed.

Organised outdoor sport for adults and children is permitted to take place with any number of participants, where it is formally organised and follows COVID-secure guidance. Participants do not need to be socially distanced whilst participating but this should be maintained at other times, such as during breaks in play or when awaiting substitutions. Social gatherings before and after participation should only take place in groups of up to 6 people or two households. Spectators are only permitted as carers for people with disabilities or adults who need to supervise under-18s in a safeguarding role.

Organised outdoor participation events such as races can take place in any numbers, where they are organised in accordance with the guidance for such events.

Informal sport and physical activity can take place outdoors but must be limited to groups of 6 people or two households.

You are permitted to travel for the purposes of exercise and to take part in informal and organised sport and physical activity. Overnight stays for sport and physical activity are not permitted.

DCMS has published updated guidance on the changes at Step 1.

Sport England have also published FAQs covering key questions from the sector.

Step 2

Step 2 will begin no earlier than 12 April and will allow indoor facilities to reopen including gyms, leisure centres and community centre for use individually or with household groups. Indoor sporting activities for children will be able to take place. Outdoor hospitality will also be able to reopen at this step.

Step 3

Step 3 will start from 17 May at the earliest, at which point organised adult indoor group sports and exercise classes will be able to resume. This stage will also see the return of some spectators at sporting events.

Indoor events will be able to have 1,000 people or 50% of a venue’s capacity, whichever is lower. Outdoor events will be able to take place at a capacity of 50% or 4,000 people, whichever is lower. For large, outdoor venues, crowds will be permitted up to 10,000 people or 25% of capacity, whichever is lower.

Step 4

Step 4 will take place no earlier than 21 June and will remove all legal limits on social contact with events taking place at capacity restrictions above those in Step 3.

Full article