Closure of Bell’s Sports Centre has cost Perth national competitions, admits leisure boss

The closure of Bell’s Sports Centre has lost Perth national indoor sports competitions, a top leisure boss has admitted.

Paul Cromwell, CEO of Live Active Leisure, acknowledged their ability to host large-scale events has “significantly reduced” following the closure of the North Inch venue.

He said the organisations that run top level events now hold them elsewhere in Scotland.

Mr Cromwell admitted the loss of national level events at the council’s scrutiny committee on Wednesday.

He said: “In terms of sport hall activities, tournaments and competitions, we are a lot more limited now without Bell’s.

“We can do small scale competitions but when it becomes that we require a seated capacity, which is obviously a significant requirement sometimes in terms of competitions and tournaments in making them financially affordable, we are very limited in that capacity at the moment.

“In terms of the competitions and events that we used to hold at Bell’s, those, to the best of my knowledge, those organisations have managed to find alternative venues elsewhere in Scotland.

“Most of them were national events rather than local events.”

Council appear to contradict leisure boss

Perth and Kinross Council could not provide any evidence of conducting an economic impact assessment to show how much the loss of such competitions would affect businesses in the Fair City.

But a spokesperson says they are aware recent decisions have lessened their ability to attract top level events.

“It has been consistently recognised that the most recent decisions will impact on the ability to attract major sporting events, however it should also be noted that the location of such events is never guaranteed by their organisers,” they said.

However, the local authority appeared to contradict the Live Active Leisure boss’ claim of indoor venues being of “a very limited capacity” following the closure of Bell’s.

The spokesperson said: “We will be refreshing our events strategy in early 2025 and a key element of this will be attracting major sporting events, alongside partners such as Live Active Leisure.

“Perth and Kinross has a wide range of indoor and outdoor venues capable of holding such events and these are consistently being promoted to national and international sporting bodies and partners.”

Earlier this year, councillors voted to close Bell’s for good after it was devastated by flooding last October.

Fears over insurance costs and future flooding fears were given as main reasons behind the closure.

However, now council bosses want to reimagine it as an unheated event space for indoor sports.

The local authority is currently holding a consultation on the proposal.