Highland Council has 'huge responsibility' says owner of bowling alley forced to close after 36 years

Owner Shahid Yusaf, 66, said the family-run facility had lost significant business to the newly opened Hollywood Bowl, a multinational company that arrived in Inverness earlier this year.

“The bottom line is there’s not enough business for two bowling centres in this area,” he said. “When a multinational comes over and opens on your doorstep, it’s small independents like us that get pushed out.”

Mr Yusaf, who has worked at Rollerbowl since he was 31 years old, said the impact of the opening nearby had been worse than the company expected.

“I knew it was going to be difficult,” he said. “I’ve tried by best for the last five months to see if we could somehow sustain it, but we’ve just been haemorrhaging so much money that it’s just not been sustainable. We can only last for so long,”.

He said Highland Council, which granted planning permission to Hollywood Bowl, held “huge responsibility” for the knock on impact.

Mr Yusaf said the development had not only squeezed out a decades-old independent business, but also replaced a vital leisure facility for people in the community.

“Where they’ve opened used to be a great swimming pool, which was only one of its kind in how it catered for elderly people and people with disabilities that has never been replaced,” he said.

Since the closure was announced, there has been an outpouring of support from people in the local area for both Mr Yusaf and Rollerbowl.

Mr Yusaf said: “People have generations of memories here. It’s just like myself really. When I started, I had a young family, and now I’m a grandfather to grandchildren who love coming here.

“We’ve got families who were bringing their children here, and now those children are grown up and bringing their own kids here.

“They’ve got lovely memories of birthday parties and family gatherings. Now that’s all going to disappear.”

Frances Beveridge, chairperson of the Rollerbowl Youth Bowling Club, said: “We are absolutely gutted about the closure and we really feel for the owner, staff and our children who love the club.

“It’s a sad day for Inverness. It’s been a huge part of people’s lives and I think people won’t realise the importance of it until it’s gone.

“It’s sad to see another local person losing his business.”

A Highland Council spokesperson said: “Competition is not a material planning consideration. The application will have been determined on its own merits, taking into account the development plan land allocation and policy.”