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Home About Lewis Aberdeen Central Constituents' Zone Hot Topics In the Scottish Parliament Links Contact Holyrood TV Live link to Scottish Parliament Hot Topics Bad news for Dons fans, says Macdonald Aberdeen Central MSP Lewis Macdonald says that moving Aberdeen Football Club to the edge of the city at Loirston Loch would be bad news for Dons fans. Responding to news of the proposal today, Lewis Macdonald said: 'This proposal would rip the football stadium out of the heart of the city. 'For Aberdeen supporters, there would be no more walking to the game, or catching the service bus into town to go to Pittodrie. This would be bad news for children, pensioners, students and anyone without a car. 'The only people who would be singing would be Rangers and Celtic fans who could get to the game without spending any money in Aberdeen city centre. Another clear case of Central Belt bias! 'Trying to build a 53 million pounds complex with only £8 million from Aberdeen Football Club and 8 million pounds from the City Council just doesn’t add up. 'New shops at Loirston would take trade away from the City Centre. After years of seeing off proposals for out-of-town retail centres, the city would cut its own throat by developing retail on the edge of town, meaning shoppers wouldn't need to darken the doors of Union Street ever again. 'Events at the AECC and other city centre venue could also suffer. A new venue at Loirston would prevent AECC realising its potential to be one of Scotland`s top three conference and events venues. 'Fans would be forced to drive to the game. The Dons already have problems getting fans to turn out. This would make it a whole lot worse. It would also be bad news for pubs, shops and eating places in the city centre, which would lose trade both from fans and from their families. 'And finally the proposed site would wreck plans to concentrate sports facilities in the Links area for the whole of the North East. Just when the city is planning a regional sports centre and campaigning for an Olympic-sized pool, along comes a proposal to put our top sporting venue somewhere else. That makes no sense at all.' More Hot Topics? Lewis at Aberdeen Beach Hot Topics Lab rundown would undermine justice, says Macdonald [more] Macdonald signs up to `Think Positive` mental health campaign [more] Midwife jobs crisis looming says Macdonald [more] Web Design by Blue Square [Home] [About Lewis] [Aberdeen Central] [Constituents Zone] [Hot Topics] [Scottish Parliament] [Links] [Contact] Powered by Blue Square