Scotland’s Former Indoor Snow Centre to Become eKarting Centre
Scotland’s Former Indoor Snow Centre to Become eKarting Centre
Published : 17-May-2024 06:51
The former indoor snow centre at Braehead near Glasgow in Scotland is to reopen as an indoor karting centre, it has been announced.
Most recently known as Snow Factor, but originally built as Xscape by a group which also built the still operating (but for many years now separately run) Snozone indoor snow centres in Milton Keynes and Castleford (between Leeds and Hull), the facility closed down in autumn 2022 blaming high energy costs as well as ongoing maintenance, and repair needs.
"The reuse of the vacant ski slope is essential for the future well-being of the XSite centre which requires the replacement of the former anchor use in the building to support the creation of new jobs and the long-term viability of the centre," commented Phil Pritchett, director of Pritchett Planning Consultancy, which is involved in the reconfiguration of the space.
The new 63,733sq/ft ekarting rink will be created on the ski slope area while the slope's bar-restaurant and service areas will be retained.
Although the closure of the indoor snow centre was partly blamed on the cost of the 5900kwh of energy required to run it every day, more than 100 other indoor snow centres that now exist in more than 30 countries on six continents (including five in England) have managed to keep operating. A growing number have fully or completely switched to green energy they generate from vast solar arrays on their huge roofs, some now exporting excess energy to the grid so making a profit from their self-power generation.
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