Job losses 'unavoidable' following closure of state-of-the-art Perth sports centre

Live Active Leisure has said the removal of its services from Bell’s Sports Centre will have an “unavoidable” impact on jobs.

Perth and Kinross Council agreed to Live Active’s request to remove sport and leisure activities from the Perth sports centre from August 2024 earlier this month.

Live Active has said it is doing all it can to minimise job losses through redeployment and unfilled vacancies.

Earlier this year, councillors voted to consolidate all three Perth leisure facilities – Bell’s Sports Centre, Dewars Centre and Perth Leisure Pool – into one single facility which will be called PH2O.

Bell’s Sports Centre suffered significant flood damage last October when several floodgates were left open during very heavy rainfall.

A Live Active Leisure statement said that “any reinstatement of Bell’s would be at best temporary and cost in the region of £2 million, which is simply uneconomic”.

The statement – on the organisation’s website – added: “What is more, Bell’s has already suffered two significant floods since 2020 and this would leave an uninsured and uninsurable risk of yet another flood event.”

As a result, the decision was taken to remove Live Active’s services from Bell’s and the arm’s-length external organisation of the council is now in the process of starting work on the transition which will have impact on jobs.

A Live Active Leisure spokesperson said: “Following Perth and Kinross Council’s approval to withdraw sport and leisure services from Bell’s Sports Centre, we will now start work on transition arrangements.

“While the possibility of this impacting job roles is unavoidable, we are committed to doing all that we can to minimise this through redeployment and the use of unfilled vacancies.

“We fully recognise that this is a difficult time for those directly impacted whose roles are at risk, and we are communicating regularly with our people. Formal consultation will commence in the coming weeks and the first people we will communicate its outcome with is our team.”

The two studios on the upper floor of Bell’s Sports Centre were not damaged in last October’s flooding and currently remain open for Live Active’s fitness class programme.

A Live Active Leisure spokesperson said: “This covers Parkrun on a Saturday morning. In addition we are liaising closely with the rugby club so that we have advance notice of their fixtures and can make the changing rooms and toilets available for these events.”

Perth and Kinross Council will make arrangements for access to toilets and changing facilities to be maintained after Live Active Leisure has vacated the building.

A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “Arrangements will be put in place to maintain access to toilets and changing facilities from September. Further details of those arrangements will be shared once they are confirmed.”