Closure confirmed for Bell's Sports Centre in Perth

Bell's Sports Centre in Perth was completed in 1968

Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth will close in August after councillors voted unanimously to move its leisure services elsewhere in the city.

The gym and fitness studios will be relocated a mile away to Dewars Centre.

A council meeting was told all relevant staff “have been advised roles are at risk.”

Council leader Grant Laing said councillors were sad at the decision, but the move was a financial necessity.

Leisure services at Bell's will be moved to Dewars Centre

The centre had faced a £2m repair bill after being badly damaged in flooding last October.

A report to councillors said the centre was running at an annual operating loss of £571,000.

It also faces a separate £600,000 repair bill after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found in part of the building.

Perth and Kinross Council also wants to close Dewars and Perth Leisure Pool and create one new facility, but this will not be built in the near future.

Councillors approved Live Active Leisure’s (LAL) request to remove the services from Bell’s at a meeting on Wednesday.

They were told the move will cost an estimated £900,000, including purchase of new gym equipment and modifications to Dewars, to be met from LAL’s general reserves.

The 56-year-old centre was originally the largest timber supported domed structure in the UK until the London Millennium Dome was built in 1999.

LAL has already started relocating services to Dewars and schools in the city.

Conservative councillor Keith Allan asked what was being done to help groups impacted by the closure.

LAL chief executive Paul Cromwell said: “We’ve engaged with the groups that are impacted and I’ve attended meetings to explain the rationale and look at any possible ways we can work with groups going forward.”

Bell's Sports centre was badly damaged in flooding in October

A report to councillors said Historic Environment Scotland has also confirmed Category B listed status for Bell’s dome and its "immediately attached structures."

Discussions have taken place onsite with HES about potential ways to maintain and protect the dome structure for the future, but with a different purpose to that of a sports centre.

Cllr Eric Drysdale 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 very sad indeed but unfortunately necessary in all the circumstances.

“It’s clear the sums just don’t add up.

“When you overlay the repeat flood risk factor it’s clear that relocation to Dewars site together with ongoing work to find viable alternative uses for Bell’s alongside LAL’s engagement with local clubs and users of Bell’s is the best way forward from here.”