Getting ready to Play, Train and Perfom
In line with the current Scottish Government and the University of Edinburgh guidelines regarding the easing of coronavirus restrictions, we are planning to reopen some of our facilities on Monday 26 April.
Timeline for reopening
| Date | Facility / Activity |
|---|---|
| Monday 19 April | Existing members will have their gym memberships reactivated and can prebook their gym, swimming or climbing slot. Bookings for week commencing 26 April will go live from 7am on Monday 19 April. |
| Wednesday 21 April | University of Edinburgh students and staff can buy a new gym membership and prebook a session online from 9am. |
| Monday 26 April |
Pleasance Sport Complex & Gym:
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Easter Bush Gym:
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St Leonard's Land Swimming Pool:
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Firbush Outdoor Centre:
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Information for current and new gym members
Students with a membership that expired on or before 26 December 2020
Student memberships that were due to expire on or before 26 December (Semester 1 or 30 day) will come to an end on their expected expiry date. We hope that you will choose to renew your membership when we are able to reopen.
Students who purchased a Semester 2 or 30-day membership during December
Following the updated guidance delivered to University of Edinburgh students on Thursday 21 January regarding Semester 2 teaching and our ongoing closure due to Coronavirus restrictions, we have refunded all Semester 2 Student memberships and 30-day memberships purchased in December.
Access to the Pleasance and Easter Bush Gyms from Monday 26 April
If you wish to use the Gym when we reopen, you can purchase a new student gym membership. These will be available online from Wednesday 21 April. Once a membership is purchased, gym slots can be pre-booked. Our University of Edinburgh student memberships offer access to the Pleasance and Easter Bush gyms, member swimming sessions at the pool at St Leonard's Land* and, when available, our group exercise classes (currently suspended due to Government restrictions).
Edinburgh University Sport Club members (including Performance Athletes)
Members of Edinburgh University Sport Club's who use Sport & Exercise facilities for training will not be asked to purchase a Sport & Exercise membership at this time. Club members will be informed of any alternative temporary payment arrangements by their Club. If you wish to use the gym outside training times you must have a valid student membership.
Current members
Memberships that were due to expire on or after 27 December were frozen and have been extended by 19 weeks from your original expiry date. You do not need to take any action.
From 7.00am on Monday 19 April you will be able to book gym, swimming and climbing slots for when we reopen on the 26 April. Our group exercise classes programme is currently suspended due to Government restrictions.
Members who pay by Direct Debit
As we collected payment on 5 January, we will not restart payment collections until after 1 June 2021. We will contact all Direct Debit members in writing to confirm the resumption of payments.
At this time we are unable to offer Direct Debit as a payment method when your membership expires. When your membership does expires you will be able to renew monthly basis online.
New staff memberships
If you are not currently a member and you wish to use the Gym when we reopen, you can purchase a staff gym membership. These will be available online from Wednesday 21 April. Once a membership is purchased, gym slots can be pre-booked when we reopen on 26 April.
Our University of Edinburgh staff memberships offer access to the Pleasance and Easter Bush gyms, member swimming sessions at the pool at St Leonard's Land* and, when available, our group exercise classes (currently suspended due to Government restrictions).
Current members
Memberships that were due to expire on or after 27 December were frozen and have been extended by 19 weeks from your original expiry date. You do not need to take any action.
From 7.00am on Monday 19 April you will be able to book gym, swimming and climbing slots for when we reopen on the 26 April. Our group exercise classes programme is currently suspended due to Government restrictions.
Members who pay by Direct Debit
As we collected payment on 5 January, we will not restart payment collections until 1st May 2021. We will contact all Direct Debit members in writing to confirm the resumption of payments.
At this time we are unable to offer Direct Debit as a payment method when your membership expires. When your membership does expires you will be able to renew monthly basis online.
New memberships
If you are not currently a member and you wish to use the Gym when we reopen, you can purchase a Community Access gym membership. These will be available online from Monday 26 April.
Our Community Access membership includes Pleasance gym, member swimming sessions at the pool at St Leonard's Land* and, when available, our group exercise classes (currently suspended due to Government restrictions).
Other services on offer
Peffermill facilities will be available for clients who are able to continue training under Government guidelines. Due to Covid-19, please note that some of our normal activities are not available.
Outdoor contact sport has been suspended for over 18s.
Club bookings should contact your sports club committee or performance coach.
Key guidelines for visiting Peffermill
- Book your session online in advance using our Online Booking Form
- Please arrive 5 minutes prior to the session starting and do not congregate in groups.
- Please arrive changed and ready to play (changing rooms will not be available for use, however, there will be toilet access).
- Please wear a face-covering where physical distancing is difficult
- Please wash/sanitise your hands frequently.
- Please sanitise kit and any touchpoints before you complete your activity slot.
Closed facilities:
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Changing rooms & Clubhouse will remain closed until further notice
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5-a-side pitches currently unavailable
We are following Governing Body guidelines and ask that you ensure your booking operates as per this guidance too:
Information from Sport Scotland
Please be aware to help manage capacity, follow government social distancing guidelines and ensure a safe environment for everybody, we cannot guarantee your booking request.
FASIC, following Scottish Government guidance, is now open for face to face consultations, following risk assessment for all clients. We will continue to offer remote consultations by telephone or video, in Sports Medicine, Sports Physiotherapy and Sports Podiatry.
To make an appointment click the button to book online, call 0131 650 2578 or email fasic@ed.ac.uk.
If you wish to book a face to face consultation at our Pleasance clinic, we require you to complete a 15 minute telephone risk assessment with one of our clinical team. This includes establishing your clinical issue and any health risk factors you may have, screening for Covid-19 symptoms, discussing the risk to you or our clinical team and any benefits of assessment or treatment. We will ask you to give consent that this joint decision discussion has taken place and permission to share your details with the relevant NHS contact tracing teams. You will be able to book a face to face appointment after this is complete.
Please read our guides below for remote consultation or face to face consultation or call or email should you wish to discuss with our clinical team which option is right for you.
FASIC guide to remote consultation (296.25 KB PDF)
FASIC guide to face to face consultations (119.14 KB PDF)
Please do not attempt to access FASIC through the main Pleasance Sports Complex, see the link below for a tour of our new direct entrance.
Watch the virtual tour of how to access the clinic
FASIC Sport & Exercise Medicine Clinic
FASIC Sport & Exercise Medicine Clinic will operate a virtual first approach for services that we are able to offer in keeping with our Governing Body guidance. Face to face appointments will be offered were deemed essential.
Bookings for adventure days will be available from 26 April. Residential trips continue to be suspended until further notice.
We offering a series of online wellness workshops and outdoor bootcamps to help keep you active and support your mental health and wellbeing. The workshops are suitable for all levels:
Guidelines when using our facilities
We continually review our activities and the ways in which we can operate to ensure our member and staff's safety and wellbeing.
The wellbeing of our members and staff is our top priority, so have introduced some new measures and guidelines to help protect everyone:
- Please stay at home if you are feeling unwell
- We are asking all members to pre-book gym access, swimming, climbing or classes online. You can do this 3 days in advance. You will not be able to access the facilities unless you have pre-booked online.
- Please arrive dressed and ready to workout. Changing rooms will not be available for use, but, there will be toilets access).
- Please wash/sanitise your hands frequently.
- Please wear a face-covering when not exercising or engaged in an activity.
- Please respect others and keep your distance.
- Please wipe down all equipment before and after use
- Please follow signs and advice.
- Please speak to a staff member if you have any questions about your exercise experience.
Please help us keep our members and staff safe by adhering to Scottish Government, Univerity of Edinburgh and Sport & Exercise guidelines.
Specific facility guidelines:
Key guidelines for visiting the Pleasance gym from 26 April:
- Members must pre-book all activities online in advance, this includes gym access. To access the gym you will be asked to book a 30-minute entry slot, please only arrive within your 30-minute window as your membership card will only grant access through the gate within this time.
- All activities will be available to book 3 days in advance, this is in line with the current class booking policy. You will not be granted access to the facilities unless you have pre-booked online.
- If you are unable to make your booked session/activity please cancel online to allow others the chance to book on.
- Members will have to register to use the online booking site if they have not already done so.
- Members may be required to queue outside the building while waiting to gain access to ensure we can adhere to social distancing guidance.
- Members are asked to limit their time to 90 minutes at the Pleasance.
- In line with UK Active & other health-related agencies, changing, locker and shower facilities will remain closed until further notice. We ask all members to come to the gym dressed and ready to workout. Members will be permitted to bring a small drawstring or similar sized bag with them to keep personal items while working out. We will continue to review this on a regular basis.
- All Sport & Exercise staff will wear face coverings and/or face shields (with the exception of those who have medical conditions). We strongly encourage all members to wear a face-covering too.
- Each room has a maximum capacity with posters at the entrance displaying the number of users allowed in at any one time. Staff will continually monitor this to ensure rooms don’t become overcrowded.
- We now have ‘one way’ and ‘Keep to the left' walkway systems in place to help maintain social distancing.
- Equipment has been spaced out to comply with the social distancing guidelines and where it hasn’t been possible to move equipment, these items will be out of use, with the appropriate signage clearly displayed.
- Water fountains are available and we ask that you bring your own refillable bottle. You will be unable to drink directly from the fountain.
- All members are required to clean down equipment, both before and after use.
- Additional hand sanitizing and disinfection stations have been stationed at reception and within gym spaces.
- Enhanced cleaning protocols have been introduced, on top of our regular cleaning regime. This includes regular electrostatic mist cleaning.
- Students attending club sessions should follow separate sport-specific guidance available from EU Sports Union.
- The side car park is currently closed as the Sports Hall continues to host the University's asymptomatic Covid-19 testing centre.
Closed facilities
- Changing rooms, lockers and saunas will remain closed until further notice
- Squash & Sports hall currently unavailable
We very much look forward to welcoming you to Pleasance and doing all we can to give you a superb exercise experience.
Climbing now a bookable activity
We won’t be offering a membership that includes climbing at the moment. This is because we have had to significantly reduce capacity at the climbing wall and in bouldering to comply with social distancing guidance. Instead, it is a bookable activity with gym members being able to book a climbing session for an hour and a half for £3.
Please continue to check back to this page for further details on our new climbing wall guidelines.
Key guidelines for Climbing from 26 April:
- The new opening hours for the climbing wall are: Monday to Friday 11:45 am to 10:00pm and from 1pm to 7:45pm on Saturday and Sunday.
- Our climbing facilities will only be available to our current gym members.
- Members who are not registered for climbing are encouraged to do so online and at home before booking.
- All members need to pre-book sessions online 3 days in advance. Sessions will be available to book from 6am each morning.
- Arrive dressed and ready to climb (changing rooms will not be available for use, however, there will be toilets access and a designated space for personal belongings ).
- Equipment hire will be free of charge during the first phase of reopening.
Key guidelines for swimming at St Leonard's Land from 26 April:
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All members are required to pre-book the swim sessions. When booking online you need to select the 'Pleasance Sports Centre' as the site option and then 'lane swimming' as the activity. However, you do just go directly to St Leonard's Land for your swimming session.
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Member swim sessions can be booked 3 days in advance and become available from 6am each day. We cannot accept any walk-in bookings.
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Please note there are only a limited number of swim sessions available so we do advise you to book early to avoid disappointment.
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Please make sure you arrive at your booked session on time as we cannot grant access to any late arrivals.
- You are permitted to stay for the full duration of the session time that you have booked on to.
- Please arrive ready to swim, with swimwear under your clothing.
- Please respect others and keep your distance when sharing the lanes with others where possible.
- We are asking that all members wipe down their cubicle before and after use.
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Showers will be available for a quick rinse before entering the pool and then for washing chlorine off after.
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Unfortunately at this time, we are not able to loan any equipment out, however, members are welcome to bring their own pull buoy and kickboards.
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Please remember to bring a £1 coin or trolley token for the lockers.
Key guidelines for visiting the gym at Eater Bush from 26 April:
- Members must pre-book their gym session online in advance. To access the gym you will be asked to book a 30-minute entry slot, please only arrive within your 30-minute window as your membership card will only grant access through the gate within this time.
- All activities will be available to book 3 days in advance, this is in line with the current class booking policy. You will not be granted access to the facilities unless you have pre-booked online.
- If you are unable to make your booked session/activity please cancel online to allow others the chance to book on.
- Members will have to register to use the online booking site if they have not already done so.
- Members are asked to limit their time to 60 minutes at Easter Bush gym.
- In line with UK Active & other health-related agencies, changing, locker and shower facilities will remain closed until further notice. We ask all members to come to the gym dressed and ready to workout. Members will be permitted to bring a small drawstring or similar sized bag with them to keep personal items while working out. We will continue to review this on a regular basis.
- All Sport & Exercise staff will wear face coverings and/or face shields (with the exception of those who have medical conditions). We strongly encourage all members to wear a face-covering too.
- Equipment has been spaced out to comply with the social distancing guidelines and where it hasn’t been possible to move equipment, these items will be out of use, with the appropriate signage clearly displayed.
- Water fountains are available and we ask that you bring your own refillable bottle. You will be unable to drink directly from the fountain.
- All members are required to clean down equipment, both before and after use.
- Additional hand sanitizing and disinfection stations are now in place.
- Enhanced cleaning protocols have been introduced, on top of our regular cleaning regime.
We very much look forward to welcoming you to Easter Bush gym and are doing all we can to give you a superb exercise experience.
Squash courts and sports hall are currently unavailable for member bookings until at least 17 May
Due to Covid-19, we are not in a position to process your booking request at this time. If you wish to contact us directly to enquire further, please get in touch at sports.centre@ed.ac.uk
Once we can take new bookings, we will update this page so please continue to check back for further details.
Please be aware that in order to help manage capacity, follow government social distancing guidelines and ensure a safe environment for everybody, we cannot guarantee your booking request.
Currently suspended until at least 17 May 2021.
Further Information
The Sports Hall at the Pleasance will continue to host the University's asymptomatic Covid-19 testing centre.
Further information and FAQs about the testing is available on the University website:
FAQ's
If you do need to get in contact please email sportscentre@ed.ac.uk. Please be advised that we are currently receiving a large number of enquiries and due to current remote working arrangements, it may take us longer to reply but endeavour to get back to everyone as soon as possible.
Thank you for your patience and continued support.
If you have a Sport & Exercise issued membership card you will need to visit the Pleasance reception to purchase a replacement card which costs £6.
If you have a University of Edinburgh staff or student card you will need to contact card services.
In accordance with our terms and conditions, any cancellation requests must be sent by email to cse.memberships@ed.ac.uk explaining the reason for wishing to cancel.
We encourage all our members to keep physically active, whether this is at the gym or at home. We have created a section on our website for advice and guidance on how to keep active at home.