CLOSING an Aberdeen sports centre where Sean Connery trained was today branded an “an embarrassment to the city”.
Council budget cuts of £27 million have seen the Bon Accord Baths and Doonies Rare Breeds farm among the much-loved facilities officially closed today.
The cuts – coming on the first day of the new financial year – also hit the Linx Ice arena, which closed last week ahead of schedule, and facilities for disabled people including Glencraft factory, which is losing its grant.
The Bon Accord Baths – where James Bond star Sean Connery trained in the 1950s – was to close indefinitely.
Members of the centre’s Spartan Club weightlifters, who Sir Sean trained with while performing in South Pacific at Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre, branded the move a “disgrace”.
And Bon Accord Baths supervisor of 19 years, Sam Rennie, said staff had been left in the dark about the cuts.
He said: “They have just spent about £250,000 on refurbishments – they had paid £50,000 on a new pool cover that has not even got wet because the pool has been closed.”
The 36-year-old from Ferryhill added: “Everybody is really shell shocked, everybody loves this pool. It is an embarrassment for the city that such a good pool and sports centre is to go.”
Despite a 15,000 signature petition council cutbacks were still to close the grade B-listed building with an A-listed facade.
The heating will be kept on low to protect woodwork and the empty pool fenced off for safety.
Volunteers will regularly patrol the building to ward off vandals and fire-raisers.
Alex Thomson, 81, who founded the Spartan Club in 1948, said the team who had been training out of the Justice Mill Lane premises since 1980 would suffer if it had to move to a new site.
The former weightlifter, who was still competing aged 73, said he was considering retiring now the club would have to move.
The Scottish and British gold medalist who lives at Virginia Court said: “This is the most northerly weight and powerlifting club in the UK. We have produced Scottish, British and Commonwealth champions.
“We don’t know where we are going to go as of tomorrow. If we have to move premises we are bound to lose members – you need continuity with these things. We will more or less have to start again.”
And grandmother Marjory Seivewright, 66, who has been using the Turkish baths at the pool for 28 years, said: “It is just disgraceful that they are closing all these facilities.”
Meanwhile, workers at Doonies planned to leave gates open to the public today in spite of council cuts to close the rare breeds farm.
The farm’s last official visitors were signing petitions against the cuts even as they said goodbye to animals.
One member of staff said: “The staff are still going to be here to feed the animals as long as they are getting paid. The gates will still be open and the public can make a donation if they want to come in.”
He said it would be dangerous to move lambing sheep and new born calves at this time of year.
Michelle Gowans, 33, signed the petition along with daughter Rebecca, nine, before taking one last look around the farm.
The Northfield mum said: “There is nowhere else like Doonies Farm for kids to learn about animals. It is terrible that it is to close.”
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