Today (10 August) is the last day for companies to enter the follow-up Survey to Leisure-net's Supplier and Operators Confidence Survey, which was first conducted in the weeks following lockdown on 23 March.

Both facility operators and suppliers are encouraged to take part in the survey, which aims to shine a light on the mood of the physical activity sector – and the confidence levels within it.

"It's incredible to think that we undertook the first survey nearly five months ago," says Mike Hill, co-owner and director of Leisure-net.

"I think at the time we thought we were facing a two- or three-month thing – little did we know.

"It's really interesting to go back and reflect on the survey.

"I suspect that the figures now will be distinctly different to the relative optimism that people had four and a half months ago.

"Back then, for example, when we asked how significantly business felt they had been affected by COVID-19 – bearing in mind it had only been a few weeks into the pandemic – only 57 per cent of respondents said 'extremely affected', while 23 per cent said 'quite affected'. A further 20 per cent said 'only a little affected'.

"When it came to future views, back then 43 per cent were 'extremely confident' that their business would survive the following 12 months and another 43 per cent were 'quite confident' about their survival. That will be a key one to ask again this time around."

• To take part, click here to be taken to the survey homepage.