The demolition of Clydebank’s abandoned Play Drome leisure centre began in earnest last week.

Contractors moved in to begin pulling down the abandoned building, which has been closed for four years after the new Clydebank Leisure Centre opened to the public.

Plans to sell the building, which opened in 1994, for a retail development fell through in 2019, more than a year after a fire damaged part of the property.

 

West Dunbartonshire Council had agreed in 2016 to sell the land to Henry Boot Developments (HBD) for a new development combining retail units with car parking, a public square and a “pocket park”.

In December 2018 councillors heard how those plans could be modified to include housing.

But in August of last year HBD pulled out of the proposed purchase, stating they had lost their two proposed “lead tenants” from the scheme.

 

In November 2019 councillors backed a recommendation from the authority’s officials that the Play Drome be demolished “as soon as possible”.

In December the Post revealed how urban explorers from the ‘Urbandoned’ YouTube channel had managed to gain access and filmed a video showing the dereliction inside the centre since it was vacated in March 2017.

However, it has not yet been confirmed what, if anything, will replace the much-loved facility.