Gym move is big blow to bowlers
Transfer heralds the end of indoor club
A large-scale fitness gym will move from Bell’s Sports Centre - submerged in October after floodgates weren’t closed in time - to Dewars Centre.
A total of £2million of damage was caused by the rising water during storms, with 30 neighbouring homes also hit.
Live Active Leisure opened the 100+ state-of-the-art gym at Bell’s - just 15 months before, in July 2022 - to much fanfare after a £750,000 refit.
But leisure bosses now say that the “continuing uninsured and unmitigated risk of further flooding events” was behind the decision to relocate the gym and fitness studios to Strathearn Hall, a mile across the city, in Dewars Centre.
The move therefore heralds the end of indoor bowls – which is based in the hall.
Perth Indoor Bowling Club now say there are less than two weeks until the end of the season when their base will be withdrawn and transformed.
The club were informed of the plans in an email from Live Active Leisure’s chief executive Paul Cromwell on Monday, March 25.
On Tuesday a public meeting was held to discuss the plans when David Longmuir, former vice chairman of Live Active Leisure, addressed bowlers.
Earlier this year Perth and Kinross Council voted to remove indoor bowling from plans for a scaled-down PH2O - a new leisure facility to replace Dewars Centre, Perth Leisure Pool and Bell’s Sports Centre.
A spokeswoman for Perth Indoor Bowling Club said they received the email “after zero consultation”.
She added: “Perth will host its last national bowling finals this weekend, with four Commonwealth gold winners playing in the para event. The majority of the players are staying in hotels in and around Perth.
“This doesn’t just affect the bowlers it will affect the town’s already decreasing economy too.
“Plans are already being discussed about the use of the bowling hall by Live Active. An area which holds bowling equipment, memorabilia, and people’s personal belongings. There have been no arrangements made.
“34 years’ loyal custom means nothing. Less than two weeks’ notice given.”
A Live Active Leisure spokesperson said: “Due in part, to the continuing uninsured and unmitigated risk of further flooding events, we have taken an operational decision to transfer the fitness gym and studios from Bell’s Sports Centre to Dewars Centre.
“This development will see the Strathearn Hall transformed into a 100+ station fitness gym with a comprehensive range of cardio, resistance, strength and functional training equipment which we are confident will replicate our previous offering at Bell’s Sports Centre that was proving extremely popular prior to the flood events in October of last year.
“Also on offer will be dedicated fitness studios, which will deliver instructor-led and virtual classes, from holistic classes such as yoga and Pilates to full body burners like bodypump and spin.
“We hope to have these facilities operational by the summer of this year.
“This decision is consistent with the outcomes of the Perth and Kinross Council transformational reviews of ALEOS [the council’s arms-length external organisations] and leisure assets which agreed that re-establishing the fitness offer was a key priority.
“In addition, indoor bowling is not included as part of the mix of facilities intended for PH20, so we are therefore bringing forward an impact which was already agreed.
“This is not a decision that our board has taken lightly, and we are fully aware of the impact on those that currently use Dewars.
“However, this will protect a vital income stream for Live Active Leisure and reinstate the key fitness services used by approximately 7000 individuals and generating circa 150,000 annual usages.
“By comparison and - as reported in the Leisure Assets Review - indoor bowling attracts 200 different users who generate around 6,000 annual usages.
“We remain committed to providing opportunities for everyone to lead an active life, and our focus is now on what alternative activities or support we can offer those impacted by this decision.”
On October 7-8, 2023, four North Inch floodgates were not closed in time and around 30 properties suffered significant flooding - including the recently revamped Bell’s Sports Centre.
Perth and Kinross Council said floodgates being left open was one of “three potential sources of flooding” to properties near the North Inch on that weekend.
But those affected argue it was “absolutely the cause”.
In the aftermath, PKC’S chief executive Thomas Glen told councillors: “We clearly have a job now to rebuild trust and credibility with some sections of our communities across Perth and Kinross.’’
This just doesn’t affect the bowlers, it will affect the town’s already decreasing economy