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Bell’s Sports Centre to close in Perth, putting jobs and clubs at risk

The decision will spell the end of indoor bowling in Perth.

Bell's Sports Centre. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson
Bell's Sports Centre. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

Bell’s Sports Centre will close following a unanimous vote by Perth and Kinross councillors.

Sports clubs had pleaded with councillors to save the facility and indoor bowling after Live Active Leisure (LAL) asked to pull out the North Inch complex.

But the centre will now shut on August 31, leaving jobs at risk.

The decision sees the gym that was located at the facility move to Dewars Centre, taking the place of the only indoor bowling carpet in the city.

It also leaves the future of many other court-based sports in doubt with no concrete plan of where to house them.

At a full council meeting on Wednesday it was confirmed that neither Live Active Leisure nor councillors had managed to secure a future for indoor bowling before moving to shut down the centre.

‘Sad but necessary’

The decision to close the popular centre, which was flooded in October, was described as ‘sad but necessary’ by Perth City Centre councillor and deputy council leader Eric Drysdale.

Operational costs, flooding fears and a lack of insurance cover were factors in the decision.

Flooded Bell’s Sports Centre. Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson

He said: “For me this decision to approve Live Active Leisure’s formal request to cease operations from Bell’s in just three months time is sad, very sad indeed, but unfortunately necessary in all the circumstances.”

Sports clubs within the local authority had raised concerns about the lack of consultation with older players and players with disabilities saying they would be left unable to access sport.

Susan Myles and Lena Smith with fellow members calling for the club to be saved.<br />Image: Kenny Smith/DC Thomson

Conservative councillor, and Live Active Leisure board director Bob Braun, admitted no new home had been found for the bowling community.

“This decision was a difficult one and one taken reluctantly after full discussion,” he said.

“Everyone can be assured, indoor bowlers as well, that nothing fell on deaf ears and we all appreciate the concerns raised.

“However we are in the real world and we have to accept the financial challenges that face us in creating a new modern energy efficient sports facility.”

Closure puts jobs at risk

It was revealed within the meeting that jobs are also at risk with the closure of Bell’s.

David Littlejohn, strategic lead at Perth and Kinross Council, recommended that the facility be closed.

David Littlejohn. Image: DC Thomson.

He told the meeting: “There are workforce implications for LAL related to this report and all relevant staff have been advised that roles are at risk.

“The company continues to be proactive to mitigate the implications on the workforce, including redeployment and retraining.”

It was also revealed that RAAC is present in the changing rooms of the facility which was recently given B-listed status by Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

The cost of fixing the RAAC is expected to be around £600,000 and will need to be carried out regardless of Wednesday’s decision due to its protected status.

It will also cost the council £900,000 to move the necessary facilities to Dewars Centre.

Campaign for ambitious facility

Bell’s was originally earmarked for closure as part of a new sports facility in Perth that would replace Perth Leisure Pool, Dewars and the now closed centre.

However, that facility is not expected to be built until at least 2028/29 and was first mooted over a decade ago.

In January, councillors threw out plans for the facility which did not include an ice rink or leisure swimming after representations were made by the curling and swimming communities after the council failed to consult with sports bodies.

Much to the anger of the indoor bowling community, they were not invited to make representations at the meeting and now fear they won’t be included in any other new facility.

The Courier is campaigning for Perth to build an ambitious facility that caters for all sports.

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