As clubs were ordered to close, one logical response was to freeze memberships, despite the financial difficulties it would cause. However, many operators found their community was willing to support them, as Kath Hudson reports

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on that all health and fitness operators – along with much of normal life - should shut up shop, with immediate effect, caused many operators to implement an immediate membership freeze.

It made sense: if people couldn’t go to the clubs they shouldn’t have to pay and a membership freeze was better than mass cancellations. Especially as lots of people are facing uncertain times financially and will be assessing their outgoings.

“We took the decision to freeze for all, as it was the fair and the right thing to do,” says Holly Ainger, director of marketing and digital at Nuffield Health. “Giving online classes is what we should be doing, to say thank you for not cancelling.”

However, Nuffield Health is in the unusual position of being able to redeploy its staff to its healthcare division, which was renting hospitals to the NHS. Most other operators – who run with tighter margins and without another lucrative business to act as a safety net – needed to call on their community.

Those who did were amazed and humbled by the response of their tribes, who were keen to ensure the club is still there when the crisis is over and that the staff and freelancers will be supported through the crisis.

Many operators, for example SLL, initially froze memberships, but a week later went back to members and asked them to consider an optional delayed membership freeze. This gave members the option of paying during the closure and having the equivalent time for free once the clubs were re-opened, as well as one month extra as a thank you.

Torfaen Leisure Trust, in Wales, was forward thinking enough to have pandemic cover in place, which mitigated a financial crisis and protected the staff. However, according to CEO, Angharad Collins, so many members got in touch saying they would like to continue paying their memberships to support the staff, that the trust set up a Just Giving page, which will support local sports clubs and groups.

We talk to some operators about their experience of mobilising their tribe to keep some income rolling in through the lockdown. If you haven’t already done it, it’s not too late.