‘Community hub’ for Dunluce Centre?

Coleraine Borough Council who own Dunluce Centre in Portrush are set to close it down The Centre which was built in 1993 was costing £240,000 a year to run for only three times a year.PICTURE MARK JAMIESON.

The Portrush entertainment centre closed its doors back in October, after having been in operation at the Metropole site for over twenty years.

When visitor numbers continued to fall, members of Coleraine Borough Council made the decision to close the centre last February

And in October, at the end of the summer season, the centre closed.

The Tourist Information office, which was located in the Dunluce Centre was subsequently moved to Portrush Town Hall.

Back in October, when the centre closed, a meeting of Coleraine Borough Council heard that six expressions of interest had been received by Council.

However, this week, The Times understands that council officers have been tasked to explore how the facility can be used to pursue social enterprise incorporating activities for young people and community groups.

Skerries DUP councillor Mark Fielding says that the Dunluce Centre would be the perfect location for a community hub.

He told The Times: “I am supportive of investigating options for the use of the Council owned Dunluce Centre as a social enterprise for community groups in Portrush.

“For a number of years many in Portrush have voiced conerns that there is no Council community facility similar to other areas in the Borough.

“The Dunluce Centre now that it is closed as an entertainment centre, is a good location, if it proves viable, for such a community hub facilitating youth and community activities in the Portrush area.”

What are your views?

What kind of community facilities would you like to see in the centre?

Why not join the debate on or facebook page, or tweet us your views to @coleraine_times.

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