AN ABERDEEN rare breeds farm threatened with closure has been given a last-minute reprieve by council bosses.

Doonies Farm was due to shut along with other facilities on April 1.

But campaigners have been given 60 days to come up with a business plan to help fund it.

The farm on Coast Road in Aberdeen’s Nigg area will stay open to the public while its supporters try to find a way to save it.

The centre, which is home to rare breeds of sheep, cows and other farm animals, was due to shut as part of Aberdeen City Council’s £27 million budget cuts. It would have meant the 300 animals being auctioned.

The Friends of Doonies were told the news by council officers at a meeting at the Cove Bay Hotel.

Save Doonies campaign co-ordinator John Sleigh, 22, who is also a farmer, said: “I’m pleased we were able to arrive at middle ground for the deal.

“Ideally we wanted a three to six-month extension in order to come up with a suitable business plan so we have a lot to do if we want to save the farm.”

The centre needs about £2,000 a week to operate and the campaign group will now look at ways to attract the cash.

Another facility threatened with closure has also been saved after health bosses stepped in.

Albyn House in Dee Street was also facing closure as part of the £27 million city council cuts. The city council had decided to cut its £400,000 funding for the centre over the next three years

But NHS Grampian has agreed to provide extra funding the until the end of July.

Health bosses agreed to provide an extra £40,000 between now and July, following an emergency meeting with Grampian Police and Aberdeen City Council, who are the partners running the centre.

The health authority already provides £212,000 a year to fund Albyn House.

The designated places scheme at Albyn House, which allows people to sober up rather than being taken to casualty or a prison cell for the night, will now continue while a review is carried out into its future.

A statement from NHS Grampian, the police and city council said: “In partnership we have found a means of funding the designated places of safety until the audit review of Albyn House has been carried out.”

Aberdeen Central Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said: “I have no doubt that the review will demonstrate that the work of Albyn House is hugely valued to all concerned and I hope therefore that this will be the first council cut to be fully reversed.”

Although NHS Grampian has received £2 million from the Government to tackle alcohol abuse in the North-east, it has not yet decided how to spend it.

nevans@ajl.co.uk