Gilmore backs sporting fight

Edinburgh East Labour MP Sheila Gilmore has thrown her weight behind the campaign to save the closure-threatened Crags sports centre and Portobello golf course.

She has written to the board of Edinburgh Leisure, which runs the facilities on behalf of the council, calling for it to look at alternative management arrangements in a bid to keep them open.

She said: "Both facilities are excellent resources for the local community. I know the board of directors can do more to ensure that these public resources are kept open; that changes are made to see increased usage.

"It is a real hit to the Southside community to see that the Crags centre will be closed. Only seven years ago local campaigners were successful in their bid to keep the centre in public hands."