6,000 sign up to save Hillend centre

Published on Tuesday 9 February 2010 09:07

MORE than 6,000 people have joined an online effort to save Hillend ski slope from closure.

The Facebook group "Stop Hillend Closure" was set up after the Evening News reported at the weekend that council chiefs were considering "all the options" for its future in the wake of 500,000 annual losses.

Midlothian Council, which is faced with making 18 million of cuts, insists it is "premature" to talk of a sell-off or closure of the Midlothian Snowsports Centre, but sources say they believe it could close within months.

The online petition reads: "This facility has existed for nearly 50 years and is one of the largest artificial ski slopes in the world.

"If closed, not only would it prevent many people from learning to or enjoying skiing but may also mean the end of racing associations.

We need to stop the closure – we cannot stop the heart of Scottish skiing."

The site's creators are encouraging existing group members to invite their friends, and intend to use the show of support as a petition to force the council to keep the centre open.

Last year, it emerged that talks were taking place to find an investor to take on the crumbling dry ski slope amid warnings that it was in need of urgent investment and repair.