‘Do not travel’ plea over leisure facilities

Dundee residents under tighter Tier 3 coronavirus controls have been warned not to play games with Angus leisure facilities.

After fears drinkers could try to dodge the rules by indulging in cross- border boozing fo l low ing the imposition of the heightened pandemic restrictions in the city, leisure chiefs are now on alert against fitness fans who may try to take advantage of the less strict Tier 2 status in Angus.

They have admitted it could be a challenge to keep rule-breakers away, with the boss of the area’s local authority leisure trust saying visitors will not be “interrogated” at the reception desk.

One councillor demanded tight track and trace measures in centres to stave off the threat of the “significant public health issue”.

Angus Alive chief executive Kirsty Hunter told a full meeting of Angus Council: “There are some fairly significant differences for our services between Tier 2 and Tier 3.

“Group exercise is one of the most significant areas within sports centres, and one of the most popular since we began reopening.”

Arbroath West and Letham councillor Richard Moore asked the chief executive: “Have you measures in place considering that people in Dundee, if the y can’ t do their chosen sport because it’s locked down more, will consider coming to use Angus Alive facilities?”

Ms Hunter said: “I would expect that all of us, as responsible citizens, are not doing that and it wouldn’t be appropriate to interrogate them at the reception desk over where they have come from.”

She urged people not to travel to Angus to use the leisure facilities.