Dalmuir loses council funding but Hollandbush model offers fresh hope

Soon after it was announced that a decision had been made by local councillors to “close” the facility, it emerged that a bid to come up with a rescue plan had been launched at the same time.

Local MP Douglas McAllister, a former West Dunbartonshire Council provost, is set to head up a ‘task force’ with the aim of securing a Community Transfer Asset.

A similar move has just been rubber-stamped by South Lanarkshire Council for Hollandbush after it was spared from closure just over a year ago.

The “closure of Dalmuir” was referred to in a press release issued by West Dunbartonshire Council after the budget meeting, but it has now been claimed by McAllister and, according to bunkered.co.uk’s Michael McEwan, subsequently corroborated by a current sitting member of the council, that the facility will remain open as a process that is set to involve Scottish Golf CEO Robbie Clyde takes place.

Speaking to bunkered.co.uk, McAllister said: “I’m from Clydebank and played Dalmuir growing up. It means a lot to me. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. Now is the time to step forward and make Dalmuir a golf course that is run by the community for the community.

“As I told representatives of the council, if the course goes, it’s gone for good. I couldn’t let that happen. I’ve had positive conversations with Robbie at Scottish Golf and I’m confident we can make a success of this. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in.”

A year after it had been saved, the decision to stop funding Dalmuir was made at a budget meeting on Wednesday due to a “steady decline in membership costing the Council £145,000 to subsidise in 2024/25”.

Love golf? Then sign up now to our new newsletter series, Scottish Golf Courses You Must Play

The move was made as part of cuts aimed at plugging a £7.7 million funding gap. In a statement about golf being targeted, a West Dunbartonshire Council spokesperson said: “Despite significant efforts, regrettably membership and usage of Dalmuir Golf Course has continued to decline.

“This meant last year, the Council subsidised the club by more than £145,000 or £805 per member, and this is no longer sustainable.

“Our budget gap for 2025/26 was £7.7m and we expect further financial challenges in coming years so we must prioritise protection of the essential services we provide to residents, including education, housing and citizen support.”

The Dalmuir decision was made despite a petition gathering more than 3,500 signatures, with Scottish No 1 Bob MacIntyre joining the likes of Paul Lawrie, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Paul McGinley and even Bryson DeChambeau in supporting the latest fight to try and keep the course open.

Councillor Martin Rooney, Leader of West Dunbartonshire Council, said: “We all want to do the best for our communities, but the truth is that the continuing financial instability, scarce resource, and the ongoing need to make savings, means it has become impossible to identify options to balance the budget while continuing to provide services in the same way.

“This means we are faced with these incredibly difficult choices and while we don’t want to implement any of these savings, they are our only remaining options to balance our budgets and work towards a sustainable future for West Dunbartonshire.

“We have thought long and hard about the best way forward for our council and the people we serve, and we believe our budget gives us the best chance of financial stability for 2025/26 and beyond.”

Other cuts include removal of funding to support the Loch Lomond Highland Games while councillors also agreed to a Council Tax increase of 11.5 per cent.