Dundee Olympia probe appoints solicitors who advised Grenfell and Manchester Arena inquiries

One of Scotland’s largest law firms, whose solicitors advised in high-profile inquiries including Grenfell and Manchester Arena will lead the Dundee Olympia inquiry.

Edinburgh-based Burness Paull will carry out an independent investigation into what  went wrong at the city’s flagship leisure facility.

The inquiry was approved by councillors in April after increasing public frustration over repeated closures at the centre due to safety and maintenance issues.

On their website, Burness Paull say their lawyers have experience in “several high-profile public inquiries” including advising participants on the Edinburgh Tram, Grenfell and Manchester Arena inquiries.

They have also advised on significant fatal accident inquires, including the Clutha and Sumburgh FAIs.

The firm has had experience representing public bodies and central government. It also has offices in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

When contacted by The Courier, a spokesperson for Burness Paull confirmed they had been appointed to lead the Olympia inquiry but declined to comment further.

Millions worth of repairs carried out at Olympia

Dundee’s £33m Olympia centre was opened in 2013 by then sports minister Shona Robison.

However, it has been besieged by maintenance problems in its lifetime and was forced into a two-year closure in October 2021 after a raft of safety issues were discovered.

Dundee City Council spent £6m on repairing the problems and the facility reopened to the public last December.

But just two months later, the leisure and toddler pools at the Olympia were forced to close once more after problems were discovered with the flumes.

It later emerged there had been three incidents involving items falling from height in the period between the December reopening and the pools closing in February.

This included a traffic light and metal rod falling from the flumes and a cable tray falling near the river rapids area.

The pools were subsequently shut for three months and reopened in May.