Future of Mills Observatory, Caird Park Golf Courses, and Broughty Castle Museum Under Review Amid Budget Cuts

Dundee City Council is set to make a significant decision regarding the future of three cherished cultural and leisure facilities as financial pressures mount. Councillors will discuss the outcomes of a major consultation involving nearly 2,500 residents, focusing on the future delivery of services at Mills Observatory, Caird Park Golf Courses, and Broughty Castle Museum.

While additional funding has secured a reprieve for Mills Observatory, services at Caird Park Golf Courses and Broughty Castle Museum face potential closure.

Mark Flynn, Convener of the City Governance Committee, expressed his gratitude to the Dundee residents who participated in the consultation and shared creative ideas to address the funding challenges.

“The decision to stop delivering any services in the city is not something that is done lightly,” Flynn stated. “All reasonable suggestions have been explored, but these recommendations show just how challenging the financial position is as work goes into balancing the books for the next financial year.”

This consultation, prompted by Leisure and Culture Dundee’s (LACD) significant budget gap, sought public feedback on proposals to end services at the three facilities. The outcome highlights the city’s tough financial landscape and its need to prioritise spending.

Mills Observatory, a landmark for stargazing and science enthusiasts in Balgay Park, has been spared closure thanks to a funding package of £95,000 over the next three to five years. This funding, sourced from private money and trusts, ensures the observatory can remain operational.

The council will also contribute up to £15,000 annually to support the facility, with a review set for three years from now. The observatory’s longer-term sustainability will depend on a robust business plan focusing on securing additional funding, expanding educational activities, and boosting marketing efforts.

Mark Flynn encouraged locals to take advantage of the observatory during the darker winter nights, a prime season for astronomy. Increased visitor numbers, bolstered by enhanced marketing, have already proven the facility’s enduring appeal.

Despite the good news for Mills Observatory, Broughty Castle Museum and Caird Park Golf Courses are unlikely to escape cuts. If the council approves the report on Monday, Broughty Castle Museum will close by October 2024, and Caird Park Golf Courses will cease operations by April 2025.

This iconic riverside museum, which attracted 39,223 visitors in 2023/24, remains below pre-pandemic attendance figures of 43,149 in 2019/20. Closing the museum is expected to save LACD £80,000 annually, with additional savings of £30,000 in property costs once the building is handed back to Historic Environment Scotland.

The golf courses at Caird Park face even steeper financial losses. Subsidised by taxpayers at £9.10 per round, the courses are projected to save LACD £335,000 annually if services are discontinued.

Visitor numbers have also declined, with a 7.5% drop in rounds played on the nine-hole course and a 1.6% decrease on the 18-hole course year-on-year. If the golf courses close, the area will transition to parkland with grassland to support biodiversity. Maintenance costs for the parkland would be approximately £26,000 per year, significantly less than the current subsidy.

As councillors prepare to vote on these recommendations, the city faces tough questions about its future. While Mills Observatory has been given a second chance, the closure of Broughty Castle Museum and Caird Park Golf Courses will leave a lasting impact on Dundee’s cultural and recreational landscape.

For some, this is a pragmatic response to financial realities; for others, it’s an avoidable loss that reflects a lack of foresight. Either way, the decisions made in the coming weeks will shape Dundee’s identity for years to come.

The council owes it to the people of Dundee to be transparent about the reasoning behind these choices and to ensure that any closures are accompanied by meaningful plans for the future of these spaces. Whether they’ve done enough to earn the public’s trust remains to be seen.