Since the middle of March, gyms across the country have had to close their doors to the public in the wake of the global pandemic.
That has seen many small business suffer substantial losses in terms of revenue, with a fear that many may not be able to reopen.
Owner of Southside Barbell in Limerick, Shane Brodie discussed the consequences of the lockdown on their business, with the club in real threat of closure.
However, he hopes that the club can come out of this stronger than before.
“The struggle is real as they say. I suppose it’s like all sporting organisations and business’, we’re all taking a major blow. Especially like ourselves that a re club running from month to month, What comes in the door goes back out the door. Nine times out of ten, at the end of the month we are in the red.
“Unfortunately at the moment, things don’t look good but we will struggle on until the end. Its gonna have a massive effect on the club. But we will reopen, hopefully a bit sooner. But the struggle is real and it leaves us in uncertain times. Hopefully when we can reopen, we will recover.
Hopefully we will recover instead of closing the doors.”
The Iirish Powerlifting scene has grown hugely over the years with Brodie one of the leading figures in that movement.
He takes little credit however and hopes there will be more to follow in his footsteps, like he did when he burst onto the scene.
“It has taken a long time to get to where it is, the LPC, Southside Barbell and The Irish Powerlifting Organisation, there’s 20/30 years of work gone into it. There are a ot of legends in this game and myself and the people after me will only be continuing that work.
I’ll do my best to keep things going and I am looking forward to the challenge. But it is very hard and uncertain, a lot of sleepless nights.”
Check out the interview in full below!
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