Fife sports centres re-open pitches, but no access to changing rooms or loos

Sports facilities across Fife will re-open some of their facilities from next week.

Fife Sports & Leisure Trust (FSLT) is beginning a limited return to use of its synthetic turf pitches, and is taking bookings for the first few weeks.

Facilities at Dalgety Bay Leisure Centre, Cupar Leisure Centre, Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre, Glenrothes and Lumphinanns Sports Hub will re-open first while the charity waits on the green light to open up all its doors.

The pitches will only be available to registered clubs which will all be expected to follow the Government’s track and trace procedures.

And they will only get access to the pitches - changing rooms and toilets will remain closed.

The trust is contacting club users who had regular bookings before the lockdown to ensure players can get back to regular training as soon as possible.

Clubs reserving pitches will be required to complete a block booking form and return it along with a specific coronavirus-related risk assessment as well as a named Covid-19 co-ordinator

Duchess of Kirkcaldy: Flood closes pub for upto eight weeks

Scott Urquhart, sports and physical activity team manager, said: “Our teams have been working hard to get our centres up and running with the highest health and safety protocols in place.

“Despite not being able to open our indoor facilities, we are very pleased to be in a position to welcome bookings for our STPs.”

He said the trust was following measures set out by the Scottish Football Association which require anyone making a booking to provide contact information for track and trace purposes.

He added: “The use of the pitches is restricted to registered clubs at the moment and they will be required to adhere to Covid-19 track and trace obligations, but, we are hopeful we will open access to casual bookings in the near future.”

The trust is working to re-open all of its facilities across Fife, but it has been frustrated at the delays in getting the green light from the Scottish Government, and has warned that a six-month closure would have a major impact on its finances.

Its wider re-opening programme will see Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre in Glenrothes, Carnegie Leisure Centre and Pitreavie Athletics Centre, in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre opening doors first, followed by East Sands Leisure Centre, Levenmouth Swimming Pool and Sports Centre, Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre and Dalgety Bay Leisure Centre.

The next phase will see Duloch Leisure Centre, Cupar Leisure Centre, Bowhill Swimming Pool and Waterstone Crook Leisure Centre welcoming customers, followed by the Beacon Leisure Centre.

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspapers - the Fife Free Press, Fife Herald, St Andrews Citizen and East Fife Mail.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Allan Crow, Editor, Fife Free Press