Aberdeen swimming pool to close due to spiralling energy costs

The swimming pool is at Aberdeen beachfront

Aberdeen's beachfront swimming pool is to temporarily close due to rising energy costs, it has been announced.

Sport Aberdeen, the arms-length organisation which runs the Beach Leisure Centre for the council, said the pool would shut from 21 August.

The decision - due to the rising costs of heating the pool - will be reviewed in the spring when it is hoped it could re-open.

In a message to members, Sport Aberdeen blamed "unprecedented" rises in costs.

The pool will remain open during the summer holidays.

Sport Aberdeen managing director Alistair Robertson said: "Sadly, Sport Aberdeen is facing unprecedented and unsustainable rises in energy costs and our board of directors had to take action.

"We have not taken this decision lightly.

"We will review the position in the spring with the hope that the situation will have eased and we will be able to reopen the pool at that time."

Aberdeen City Council co-leader Alex Nicoll, of the SNP, added: "We fully appreciate the pressures.

"We understand that this is a pragmatic decision in exceptional times. If energy pressures ease, we hope that the pool will reopen in the spring."

Conservative North East Scotland MSP Douglas Lumsden said he had sympathy.

However, he added: "If they need more money from the council to run that facility then they should be going back and asking for more funds.

"Just to close it seems to be a knee-jerk reaction. I know that many families will be bitterly disappointed. It does concern me whether we will ever see this pool open again."

The flume slides and wave machine features were already out of action due to faults.

The gym, fitness classes and sports hall use are unaffected.