GEORGE NEWS - Local gym owners, employees and members are also taking part in the national gym protest later today against the lockdown regulations that prohibit gyms from opening.

According to Andre de Jager, Motion Fitness George general manager, they will be staging a peaceful and silent protest outside the Motion Fitness gym at Redefine Boulevard between 12:00 and 14:00.

He said the gym industry is facing severe job losses because of the "erratic, irrational and nonsensical" lockdown regulations.

The industry nationally employs about 29 000 people at over 1 096 gyms who have not been able to work for the past four months.

Grant Austin from Fit SA this morning in a television interview said 31% of employees have been retenched and a further 14% are expected to lose their jobs if gyms don't open soon.

He said 48% of gyms have indicated they will never reopen if they are not allowed to start operating again soon.

'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'