On the road to re-opening

We are living through history in the making. These turbulent and challenging times are unprecedented in my lifetime and I imagine most of yours. There is talk of a second wave and much debate around the wisdom of easing lockdown and how we need to adapt to be safe in this new world. In my former incarnation I was an epidemiologist for almost 2 decades. Finally everyone knows what that is! So I've been studying the data and trying to make sense of it all. But the reality is that nobody knows what lies ahead and therefore how on earth can we prepare? It has been a challenging time for the economy and this of course is going to continue for some time. With a different hat on, as the founder of a yoga centre, and in touch with so many of our wonderful teachers, therapists and customers, I have found it deeply moving to see how everyone has pulled together and done their best to help all of us to get through this as best as we can.

We have thanked you several times already, and we will keep doing so, as it has really helped  to have your support and to see that so many of you have chosen to keep attending classes and workshops.

We closed our doors on the 20th March and on the very next day, we started offering livestream classes. We moved from around 150 studio classes a week plus therapies in two centres to 70+ classes a week online in one weekend. We were one of the very first studios to move online and to offer such a wide range of classes - which is great for you, and a huge support for our wonderful teachers, enabling them to keep working during lockdown. We couldn't have done any of this without the brilliant positive attitudes of our teachers, our team, and you, so we want to thank our whole community for enabling us to keep going.

All things being equal we intend to reopen our studios in mid July, around 10 days after our sector is  expected to be officially allowed to reopen.

It is still several weeks away, but we have a lot to do to be able to welcome you, our front of house team, our teachers and therapists back confidently and safely. We are already hard at work looking at guidelines, and taking advice from experts and others in the industry on how to set things up in the best possible way.

We will be offering more than before - once our Studios reopen, we will be offering studio classes again, and in addition we will also be offering @Home classes, and will also be livestreaming some of our studio classes. We are taking lots of advice on how to do this so the experience is brilliant for all involved.

We closed in the midst of national panic and fear around coronavirus. We will be reopening into what we expect will be quite a different world, and we will be adapting accordingly.

So what can you expect when we reopen? It will still be Yogaloft, but a new-world version. The situation is constantly changing and so we will too, but here is what we are putting in place:

- Social distancing in place throughout both centres
- Smaller class sizes, with all places prebooked
- 2 metres around every mat space in classes
- A new timetable, with some classes remaining online for the time being. This will be published as soon as all changes are confirmed in the next few weeks
- A new reception area layout and signage throughout the building  to ensure safe movement when you arrive, leave, and around the building. We will be asking you to arrive at least 10 mins before your class to support this working well
- Changing rooms closed other than for toilet use and hand washing. We will provide safe storage for your possessions
- Temperature checks for everyone on arrival
- All mats sanitised between every class, and we will be asking you to bring your own if you can
- All touch points sanitised throughout the day
- Deep cleaning every night and cleaning throughout the day
- Hand sanitiser available throughout the building
- Sneeze screens at reception and receptionists wearing masks when they move around the building

This is not our final plan. Things are still evolving and we may well add to this as we prepare for reopening. Please do get in touch if you have any suggestions which you think will help us do better.

As lockdown eases, do remember that nobody knows what will happen when we all relax a bit and start to mingle. Please continue to be prudent and take good care, and do your best to stay well. We look forward to seeing you again very soon.



Susannah