Glenn Earlam, CEO of David Lloyd Leisure (DLL), says the operator is reopening 26 of its UK clubs this weekend for tennis (16/17 May), following the government's announcement that courts can reopen.

No charge will be made for members with packages that allow access to racquets facilities and their memberships will remain frozen. DLL says "measures will be in place to ensure that the safety of both members and team members is not compromised."

Speaking to the Guardian, Earlam said he is also lobbying for consent to run outdoor classes and to reopen DLL's outdoor pools, saying: “I’m struggling to see how opening the outdoor areas of a David Lloyd isn’t safer than going into an indoor shopping centre."

Indoor gyms in the UK have not yet been told when they will be allowed to open, with the government indicating they will be among the last type of public facility to get the green light. The industry is lobbying through trade body, ukactive, to achieve optimal timing.

Outdoor exercise, including one-to-one PT was given the go-ahead last week (11 May) and it's likely other operators with outdoor facilities, such as tennis, will follow DLL's lead.

Some of DLL's European operations are already open, with facilities such as Country Club Geneva, which DLL acquired in April this year reopened on 11 May.

For more on David Lloyd Leisure, read our recent interview with Glenn Earlam in HCM magazine here.