Liverpool City Region's gyms will be able to reopen this week while soft play areas are to close after Number 10 agreed to standardise the tough Tier 3 lockdown rules.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram confirmed the Government had caved to local leaders, who have put forward arguments about disparity between the new restrictions in different areas.
There had been anger across the region that gyms and leisure centres were forced to close as the region was placed into the highest tier of the government's Covid alert system.
Lancashire, which was also placed into the highest tier last week, was allowed to keep its gyms open, and Greater Manchester was yesterday afforded the same deal.
Liverpool City Region leaders have been campaigning for the system to be standardised, meaning that gyms in the region would be able to open and wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the issue this week.
They have now been told that the Tier 3 restrictions will be standardised, which will mean that gyms and leisure centres can reopen.
BusinessLive understands that the changes will come in when Greater Manchester's new restrictions do, from 00:01 on Friday.
The standardisation of the new restrictions will however mean that soft play areas in the region will have to close, as they will in other Tier 3 restrictions.
A statement from the region's local leaders said: "On behalf of the leaders and MPs I entered into further talks with 10 Downing Street to highlight the inconsistencies of the measures.
"We've consistently asked for the science behind the suite of measures.
"Talks continued late into last night and the government have agreed to bring us in line with other Tier 3 areas.
"This means that soft play areas will close, but gyms could reopen."
