A former St Johnstone goalkeeper is set to become the new owner of Perth’s Rodney Pavilion.
And Kevin Cuthbert has pledged he is committed to reopening the much-loved landmark as a gym.
Councillors met this week to choose a preferred bidder for the venue, which closed in 2022.
Kevin Cuthbert Personal Training was selected out of five submitted bids.
The former professional footballer has worked as a personal trainer since 2011.
He opened his first gym in 2020. The plan is now to move the business to the Rodney Pavilion.
Kevin said: “As a business, we recognise the importance to the community of keeping Rodney as a gym facility and we will absolutely make sure that happens.
“Our intention is to further enhance our own service, allowing us to serve the community as best we can.”
The existing Kevin Cuthbert Personal Training gym has almost 400 members on the books.
Kevin says it has outgrown its space at Ladeside Business Centre on St Catherine’s Road, and the move to the Rodney will allow it to explore other areas and programmes.
“We are fully respectful of the history and heritage of the building,” he added.
“And we will strive to bring as much happiness, and to continue to enhance the health and wellbeing of the people of Perth.”
Kevin Cuthbert bid was one of five
The Rodney Pavilion was put on the market last summer.
The building was vacated by Live Active Leisure in 2022 when its gym equipment moved to the Bell’s Sports Centre.
Perth and Kinross Council had said it was open to applications for a community asset transfer. But none were submitted in time for its deadline.
Another former footballer and Perth gym boss had been fronting a rival bid for the venue.
Murray McDowell, who runs Routine Health and Fitness at Bridgend, was working with a group of businessmen who said they wanted to re-open the Rodney as a place to provide support for start-up businesses, along with a community gym and mental health hub.
Perth and Kinross Council’s property sub-committee considered the five bids in private on Tuesday.
Members accepted an officers’ recommendation to accept the bid from Kevin Cuthbert Personal Training.
Council leader Grant Laing said: “Rodney Pavilion has a fantastic city centre location and I am pleased it will still be a venue used to support the health and wellbeing of our residents.
“It is also great to see a local business expanding in Perth and I wish Kevin Cuthbert Personal Training all the best for the future.”
Former Saints star enjoyed two-decade career on pitch
Kevin Cuthbert rose through the youth ranks at McDiarmid Park and went on to make more than 100 appearances for St Johnstone.
He also played for Morton, Ayr, Hamilton and Raith Rovers in a career spanning two decades.
Injury forced him into retirement in 2018, and he had a spell as caretaker at Rovers.
The pavilion in Perth’s Rodney Gardens was used as a fitness centre for more than 90 years – first by General Accident staff and then the general public.
Locals had feared the building could be demolished when it was put up for sale.
There are also concerns that the Live Active Leisure gym at Bell’s Sports Centre has since closed too after it was flooded last October.
Its fitness equipment is now being moved even further away to the Dewars Centre.
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