Sports facilities and libraries across Aberdeenshire will close from 2pm on Christmas eve, reopening on January 5.

Live Life Aberdeenshire, which operates sports and cultural services on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council, is closing almost all its facilities over the festive period.

The exceptions are Macduff Marine Aquarium and the area's two all-weather ski centres - Alford Ski Centre and Huntly Nordic and Outdoor Centre - which will continue to operate between Christmas and Hogmanay with reduced opening hours.

Interim Head of Service for Live Life Aberdeenshire, Avril Nicol, said: "This represents a longer period of closure than in previous years, for a number of reasons.

"Traditionally the Christmas period is one of our quietest and the well-publicised difficult budget position Aberdeenshire Council finds itself in means it is not economical to open in most cases.

"Many of our team members were also redeployed into important but difficult frontline work while our facilities were closed during lockdown and this period of closure will make sure they get an appropriate chance to rest and recover."

Those libraries which were due to offer click and collect and home delivery, or other services, on the afternoon of December 24 will now make these available earlier in the day.

While facilities are closed, you can still access online library services, make and do activities and exercise at home videos, amongst many other resources, on the Live Life @ Home resource athttps://bit.ly/LLAhome

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Aberdeenshire sports facilities and libraries to close over Christmas and New Year - Grampian Online