Edinburgh Leisure is working hard on the return of golf and tennis – Steve Cardownie

Golf and tennis will return to Edinburgh as soon as possible after the lockdown restrictions are eased, writes Steve Cardownie

Tennis and golf are more easily played while observing social distancing than many others (Picture: Chris Moorhouse)

Last week I bumped into June Peebles, the chief executive of Edinburgh Leisure (as much as you can bump into anyone these days with social distancing and all that) and she told me that, in common with other organisations which rely on public admission money, their financial position had taken a major hit.

Not one to dwell on the reasons for the current position which were outwith her control, she was gearing up for the time when the facilities would be reopened for business and the measures that her organisation would have to take to comply with the amended restrictions.

Charged with managing the City Council’s sports and leisure estate, she is acutely aware that they have to be ready to welcome back their customers and need to put in place the procedures that will allow them to hit the ground running.

She has written to customers in the following terms “we are working through what this means for Edinburgh Leisure’s ‘outdoor’ activities, predominately golf and tennis; identifying what we can deliver, how and when. As you can appreciate there are a large number of operational issues to consider and new arrangements to put in place”.

She goes on “our number one priority is making sure that we can provide a safe environment for customers and employees. We are also liaising with the City of Edinburgh Council, our partner and main funder, over re-opening arrangements”.

Coming from the ‘golf is a good walk spoiled’ camp, the closure of the courses has had little impact on me but I know many people who are ‘champing at the bit’ to once more don their plus fours, pick up their clubs and hit the wee white ball around over 100 acres of land for roughly (pun intended) four hours.

June Peebles will ensure that Edinburgh Leisure will be ready.

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