Gym owners devastated they remain shut as lockdown eases for other businesses

Several businesses across Melbourne and regional Victoria will be allowed to open as restrictions ease from Friday, but some owners are fuming at being told they must remain closed.

Gyms in Melbourne will be closed for at least another week, a decision one owner has described as a "gut punch".

"This lockdown was the hardest of all of them," Adam Winter, owner of Bond gym in Kensington, told 9News.com.au.

READ MORE: Toughest lockdown rules lifted in Melbourne, but restrictions remain

"They keep branding gyms as high-risk facilities but the data proves otherwise, and they won't release the data they're making these claims on," he said.

In metropolitan Melbourne hospitality, hair, beauty salons and retail are among those permitted to re-open open with density limits, mask requirements and caps in place.

Mr Winter said his business had never really recovered from last year, but said the snap decision to shut the city down for five days had a devastating impact.

"The five day lockdown shattered all consumer confidence ... for all gym owners - it was across the board," he said.

"Recovering from that lockdown was really slow."

The Bond Fitness owner, who has two young children, said while the gym closures had a mental impact on owners and staff, he knew members were struggling.

READ MORE: Melbourne lockdown lifts: What's coming back and what's staying closed in Victoria

"Almost daily I get a call from a different member about what an impact a gym has on their life and the negative impact that closure is having," Mr Winter said.

"It's their outlet ... the gym is not only about exercise, it's about community."

Today, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the reason authorities were being so cautious was because some cases had been linked to gyms.

"Gyms are a high-risk environment," he said today.

"I understand again the pain for the gym owners.

"We've had significant outbreaks in gyms through the second wave in Victoria ... I think we had 27 cases in a gym."

Professor Sutton said overseas research indicated gyms were places that had "significant opportunity to spread" infections.

READ MORE: Woman tests positive to COVID-19 in Queensland after travelling from Victoria

The Chief Health Officer said he didn't expect gyms to be closed much longer.

"I am asking gyms to make that sacrifice for a further week," Professor Sutton said.

Mr Winter said it was in the best interest of gym owners and their clients to reopen, and the venues couldn't be cleaner.

"All we can do is bolster our gym in the best way possible to make sure people know we are safe despite the government's messaging."

Acting Premier James Merlino today announced an additional $8.3 million for businesses that were still impacted by restrictions.