A union is launching a campaign to keep Aberdeen’s Beach Ballroom in the council’s hands.
Local authority leaders are looking at franchising the seafront venue to make projected savings of £146,000 in a bid to plug a £41.2 million funding shortfall.
The architecturally renowned B-listed building is a striking example of art deco style in the Granite City, and was once described as “Scotland’s finest ballroom”.
It regularly stages music and dance events, conferences, weddings, charity gigs, and British Masters Boxing bouts.
The Beatles performed their only Aberdeen concert there in 1963, with tickets costing three shillings, while Pink Floyd played the same venue during the “Summer of Love” in 1967.
And the Rolling Stones also feature among the string of high-profile rock luminaries, who have strutted their stuff at the ballroom before they embarked on stadium tours.
More recently, the building has hosted the Courage on the Catwalk and Brave model shows to raise funds for Friends of Anchor.
John Boland, north-east regional representative of the Unite union, said a campaign was now being organised “to keep it owned and operated by Aberdeen City Council, and our hard working members employed by Aberdeen City Council.”
Opposition SNP group leader Stephen Flynn said: “We have opposed this decision from the outset and will continue to do so.
“We will happily support Unite’s campaign to keep the Beach Ballroom, and the fabulous work which the staff do, under the control of the council.”
A formal request from the council seeking interest from private operators has been published which says any operator would need “sufficient capability and capacity to improve the scope and capacity for new business initiatives, and promote the ballroom as a key cultural asset of Aberdeen”.
Council co-leader Jenny Laing has previously insisted that whatever option is chosen for the venue’s future, employees would be protected.
