Northampton sports clubs cannot wait to get back after government reveals its roadmap out of lockdown

Sports clubs in Northampton are looking forward to reopening after the coronavirus lockdown but are wary about allowing their hopes to get too high.

The government's 'roadmap' allows outdoor sports to restart from March 29, before children's indoor activities no earlier than April 12 and adults' indoors no earlier than May 17.

Golf clubs will be among the first to welcome players back and William Rice of Brampton Heath Golf Centre in Church Brampton feels it cannot come soon enough.

"I don't think outdoor sports needed to close anyway so it's a shame they are being left as long as they are but overall we can't be too unhappy with what's happening, if it happens," he said.

"It's like everything, we're a lot better off than other people so we can't complain but I don't think golf had to stop, it was spread out and outdoors."

Outdoor facilities like golf courses, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts and organised sports like football and rugby will be allowed to continue from March 29.

But groups will still be limited to six people or two households and subject to guidance for the specific sports.

William thought they would be allowed to reopen from March 15 so he said he cannot be too unhappy with a couple of weeks later.

But he added that it is important to get back to some sort of normality with grounds staff still working to maintain the course and memberships being refunded during the closure.

"I think hospitality and sports have been unfairly punished when I know people have to shop but they can do what they like in supermarkets these days and we got a rates rebate - whether we get more that would be the best thing," he said.

Indoor facilities can reopen and group sports for children will be allowed, with up to 15 parents or guardians permitted to join them, at least five weeks after March 29, so April 12, at the earliest.

That is as long as the four government tests are met: the vaccine programme goes to plan, jabs sufficiently reduce the number of people dying or needing hospital treatment, infection rates do not risk to overwhelm the NHS and new coronavirus variants do not fundamentally change the risk of lifting restrictions.

Five weeks after that, so May 17, at the earliest, adult indoor group sports and exercise classes can restart.

For Northampton Swimming Club, they will have to wait until April to get going again as most of its pools are indoors but even then it will just be sessions for youngsters.

Head coach Andy Sharp said: "We have got to be cautious with covid - it's good that kids are allowed to return from the 12th but 18-plus can't return to our clubs until May 17," he said.

"Outdoor pools are affected by the weather and it can be unpredictable in March seeing as we had snow not long ago so outdoors is very limited.

"But as a club, all of our protocols are in place from our last return to the pool in August and just before Christmas so we're in a position to start as soon as possible."

Andy, who is due to become the swimming club's director next week, was also relieved the roadmap should support their Olympic and Paralympic preparations.

But he believes it will be important to get as many novices, particularly children, back in the pool to learn how to swim after more than a year of missing out on learning a vital skill.

"When we come out of lockdown, people will be going on holiday or visiting country parks or anywhere with water but many may have lost 12 months or more of learning," he said.

"So we'll have a generation of kids that have missed out but it's never too late to learn so we're looking forward to getting people back in to lessons."

Both William and Andy emphasised the importance of sport for people's physical and mental wellbeing as for many, it is their only form of contact with the outside world.

The golf club director shared how one elderly member told him that playing every week was the only time he saw anyone else after his wife died.

Both also did not want to go back too soon and have to go back into lockdown or delay further lifting of restrictions.

Andy said: "We've got to with what the experts are saying. We returned from lockdown at the end of July then had another lockdown, then another.

"I'm no expert but we've got to minimise the risk as the last thing people want is to return and having to lock down again so we've got to be patient."