Caird Park golf course will shut next year after Dundee councillors voted to approve its closure – but the future of Broughty Castle remains in the balance.
Earlier this year Leisure and Culture Dundee unveiled plans to shutter the two city attractions – along with the Mills Observatory – in a bid to save £500,000 each year.
All three are run by Leisure and Culture on behalf of the council.
A public consultation was subsequently held seeking people’s opinions on the proposals.
But despite overwhelming objection to the plans, council officers recommended both the Caird Park golf course and the Broughty Castle should close for good.
Councillors were asked to save the Mills Observatory after external funding was secured.
‘Staggering lack of vision’
The local authority’s city governance committee met on Monday to discuss the recommendations.
They were addressed by Martin Goodfellow, who spoke on behalf of the Broughty Ferry Traders Association.
He accused officers of having a “staggering lack of vision” for suggesting the closure of the castle and said more needed to be done utilise the attraction.
Caird Park Golf Club captain, Ian Gordon, also spoke at the meeting and called on councillors to consider other options.
He said: “Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland and it could be left without a municipal golf course – that is disgraceful.
“If it closes, it will have a detrimental effect on the community and jobs will be lost.”
Mr Gordon also questioned why plans to develop a driving range at Caird Park never materialised.
This was promised in the aftermath of Dundee City Council’s decision to shut the other municipal course at Camperdown in 2019.
Judy Dobbie, chief of Leisure and Culture Dundee, confirmed the plans were “far on” but scuppered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Calls for decision delay
As a compromise, councillor Craig Duncan put forward an amendment asking the committee to delay a decision on the closures until after the Scottish Government budget is set later this month.
This was seconded by Labour’s Pete Shears, who represents the Ferry ward.
“We should not be coerced into making any decision until we know the full facts”, councillor Duncan said.
“We need to see what we are actually looking at from the local government financial settlement – there is no imperative to decide anything tonight.”
However, the majority of the committee instead backed deputy Lord Provost Kevin Cordell’s motion to close the Caird Park golf course and defer a decision on Broughty Castle.
The motion was backed 15 votes to 13.
This means the course will cease operation from April 30 2025.
A final decision on the future of Broughty Castle is expected in the new year.
Conversation