Leisure centre damaged by Storm Éowyn delays reopening

A leisure centre damaged during Storm Éowyn more than a year ago year has been forced to delay re-opening due to the state of the building.

Helensburgh Leisure Centre was originally scheduled to be back open by March, having been closed since January 2025.

However, Argyll and Bute Council said this week that several complexities were behind the hold-up, and an alternative opening date could not be provided.

A video released by the local authority showed mushrooms growing inside the venue, as well as damaged floorboards and disconnected pipes.

Parts of the roof were ripped off by Storm Eowyn on 24 January last year, leaving the building severely damaged.

In December Mairi Coleman, the chairwoman of the Live Argyll trust, said it was vital to get the building back open in the New Year.

Captions on the video released by the local authority state: "The entire building had to be encased in scaffolding to safely assess the damage. Water damage inside the centre was extensive.

"The first floor gym and dance studios bore the brunt of the water damage."

Several mushrooms are seen growing out of a wooden beam on a wall in one of the rooms in the leisure centre.

The council said that after water was drained away from the centre, all the electrical and mechanical systems had to be checked for damage, with the drying out process taking time.

Another caption added that "much of the work may not be immediately visible" and that the patience of locals was appreciated during the repairs.

A further statement, published at the same time as the video, said a number detailed condition surveys were taking place for the leisure centre.

It added: "We are reviewing the survey findings, and although we are making good progress, given the scale of repair needed to reopen safely, and the complexity of the issues which are arising, our original estimated re-opening of the end of March will not be met.

"We are currently addressing several complexities, including the re-design of the roof, the time required to install extensive scaffolding, and the lead time needed to procure materials. This has all contributed to the original provisional date being extended."

After the leisure centre was damaged, a number of alternatives were put in place, including moving the gym into the library, the library to the pavilion and classes to the Victoria Halls.

Story by Local Democracy Reporting Service reporter Andrew Galloway.