It's D-Day for Meadowbank

Published on Thursday 31 March 2011 16:08

CITY leaders have been urged to make a decision on the future of Meadowbank Stadium by the boss of the company that runs the crumbling venue.

John Comiskey, chief executive of Edinburgh Leisure, wants to work with council leaders to decide the best option for the stadium, including looking again at the possibility of redeveloping the existing site or selling off Meadowbank and building a new stadium somewhere else in the city.

His comments came as new figures showed a significant decline in the amount of income from events and use of the stadium's facilities.

There are concerns that huge sums are having to be invested just to keep the site safe enough to stay open to the public.

Mr Comiskey said: "It has not had enough investment over the last 20 years to maintain it to its former glory.

"We need to work with the council to develop a long-term plan for the site. There is a range of options, from complete redevelopment in the current location to selling off the land and building a purpose-built stadium somewhere else, or something in between.

"It is an asset that is getting to the stage in its life where more and more investment is needed just to keep it safe.

"We absolutely need a plan quite quickly and we are talking to the council about that."

The venue used to attract major events including concerts by Radiohead, Pixies and Foo Fighters, which attracted up to 25,000 spectators, as well as major sporting events.

Events income so far this year is down by around five per cent, at 190,520.

Mr Comiskey said Edinburgh Leisure was "continuously working" with promoters to try to secure major events, but has had little success in recent years.

Councillor Andrew Burns, leader of the Labour group on the council, which had controversially proposed selling off Meadowbank and building a new sports stadium at Sighthill, said: "It is entirely up to the current administration to come up with plans to address the problems at Meadowbank."

Income from the gym at Meadowbank was down by around five per cent in the nine months to the end of December 2010, at 440,000, while revenue from pitches and courts fell by four per cent, to 321,000. Coaching income dropped by seven per cent, to 121,000.

The city council has just invested 1 million on a series of behind-the-scenes improvements to the facility.

The Lib Dem/SNP administration has favoured a plan to sell off part of the site for housing and to use the money to build a new 5000-capacity stadium and indoor sports centre.

A city council spokesman said: "The council will recommence the plans for the redevelopment of Meadowbank when land values recover."

700k HOLE AT CLIMBING CENTRE

A TROUBLED climbing arena has seen a major slump in user numbers - and is set to cost Edinburgh Leisure 700,000 this year.

The climbing arena at Ratho has generated only 509,866 of income in the nine months to the end of December 2010 - which is 14 per cent lower than last year and 25 per cent behind targets.

Other parts of the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA), including the gym, soft play area and climbing courses, have seen improvements in revenue. But the impact of poor use of the main climbing arena means Edinburgh Leisure will have to provide a 700,000 subsidy to keep the venue operating.

The figures will spark renewed debate about whether the centre should be sold in order to plug a funding gap of around 350,000 expected to face Edinburgh Leisure in the 2012/13 financial year.