Courses axed and 48 jobs lost as Fort centre collapses
Administrators appointed to The Underwater Centre in Fort William have said they will ‘explore the options’ for the world-leading diver training facility after 48 jobs were lost this week following the company’s collapse.
Gordon MacLure and Donald McNaught, of Johnston Carmichael, were appointed as joint administrators on Monday after the company was forced to stop trading last week following a ‘prolonged downturn’ in the oil and gas industry.
The news comes just five months after a deal was announced to restructure the centre, which saw industry and public offshore bodies, including Subsea 7, TechnipFMC, Premier Oil, Oil & Gas UK, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), collaborating to support the diver training centre – one of only two places in the world to provide closed-bell diver training.
Managing director Dave McGhie said it was ‘heartbreaking’ having to announce the closure of the centre to the ‘committed, loyal and professional staff’ last Tuesday.
Among the worst hit are a group of 15 students who were told on the second day of their course that it had to be cancelled, despite having paid around £15,000 towards their fees a month before their course start dates. Many of the students had to use savings or take out loans to cover the course fees, as well as leaving their previous jobs in order to study full-time in Fort William.
Rosalinda Abeytia, 33, originally from Mexico but who now lives in Estonia, is one of several foreign students left out of pocket by the situation at The Underwater Centre. She spent three years working offshore and away from home to save up to pay the £14,700 course fee, and £2,000 accommodation costs to realise her ‘dream’ of becoming a diver.
After completing just two days of her course, Ms Abeytia has now returned to Estonia and awaits information on the future of the course or if it will
be refunded. In addition, there are a small number of people who had booked places on courses later in the year and already paid deposits.
The administrators said that although their main priority is to ensure the staff receive the support they need, ‘every effort will be made’ for the students’ courses to be continued, potentially under new management. However, they admit that it is too early to establish whether that will be possible.
Highland Council stepped in to lend a hand to four students who were left homeless after the student accommodation at the centre was closed by finding local accommodation and providing financial advice.
Mr McNaught, restructuring partner at Johnston Carmichael, announced on Monday: ‘Despite a long history of providing subsea training and testing, The Underwater Centre has been severely hit by the recent and prolonged downturn in the oil and gas industry. Our first priority is the staff and we will be working with the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment and other organisations to ensure they receive the support they need. We will also be working with all stakeholders and interested parties to explore the options for the business and its assets.’
Fort William councillors Andrew Baxter and Niall MacLean expressed their disappointment at the centre being put into administration and encouraged the staff and students affected by the closure to contact them for assistance and support.
Lochaber MP Ian Blackford has also urged government and public sector bodies to work with the centre to reach a solution that would allow the site to stay operational.
He added: ‘The Underwater Centre in Fort William is a world-leading facility. It really is devastating news that we have reached this point. But it doesn’t mean that we are at the end of the road.’