A message from our MD, James Linklater
I hope you are all well and have been able to stay reasonably active during this period of lockdown!
It has been nearly 16 weeks since we closed our doors due to the risk of coronavirus, and now with businesses reopening and the ongoing significant changes that the Scottish Government are making in easing lockdown restrictions, there is much planning and preparation going on behind the scenes with safety at the forefront of our thoughts.
We remain in ongoing communication with Orkney Islands Council, sportscotland and other national governing bodies, all of us reviewing Scottish Government guidelines, as the Picky team plan and prepare for reopening.
Safety for both customers and staff will be key when we reopen, and following government and industry guidelines, there will be a number of new cleaning and safety procedures put in place.
These include:
- The installation of protective screens at reception
- Additional hand sanitiser stations located in key areas throughout the facility
- Physical distancing signage and markings throughout the building
- A one-way system will be implemented where possible
- More regular and robust cleaning and disinfecting procedures in each area of the Centre
- Online booking options will be expanded to minimise physical contact
In addition to meeting all the safety criteria, we must ensure that Picky Trust will be here for many years to come. That is why, although Government will advise us when we are permitted to open, the decision of when we actually open will also depend on the sustainability of us as a business and the financial implications that we may face thereafter. As a charitable trust, we must look to the future and be realistic about what we can offer in the short term following this economic crisis, similarly to what so many other businesses are facing today. For these reasons, we are still working towards confirming a date when we can open our doors.
However, the landscape is changing and the decline of COVID-19 cases across Scotland is extremely encouraging, hopefully allowing us to provide a clear date of when we will reopen in the near future. It will be a phased and staggered approach, with certain areas opening before others.
Due to physical distancing, there will be limited capacity for the number of customers that can use the facility at any given time. That said, we will do everything we can, to try and reach as many customers as possible in a safe manner.
We cannot wait to open our doors to you once again and have been overwhelmed with the public support during this challenging time. I would like to thank you all on behalf of the team. All of us at Picky have very much missed our loyal customers, and we all look forward to the return of us being the Hub for Health, Fitness and Wellbeing within our community as soon as possible.
Stay safe and look after one another.
James Linklater