Conference chief angered by debt claims

THE head of one of Scotland's major conference centres has angrily denied claims that the debt-ridden venue is teetering on the brink of collapse.

Brian Horsburgh, the managing director of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), declared that reports that the venue was seeking an urgent financial rescue package to save it from closure were inaccurate.

But he admitted the AECC, which had reported debts of 16 million a year ago, would welcome funding support from the Scottish Government to enable the venue to operate on a "sound financial footing" in the longer term.

Concerns about the future of the centre, which will host this week's massive Subsea 2010 event, were raised after it was revealed that the AECC had approached Aberdeen City Council for additional financial help.

Members of the city council will meet behind closed doors tomorrow to discuss a request to extend the deadline for repayment of a 2m council loan from two to seven years.