Dumfries Ice Bowl will host the Scottish Curling Championships for the first time next year.
But the decision to move the flagship event from the Dewars Centre in Perth has not gone down well with one top player.
Winter Olympics bronze medallist Eve Muirhead called the decision by Scottish Curling a “gamble” and likened the move to giving The Masters golf tournament to a nine-hole course.
In a column for her local paper Ms Muirhead said: “Out of the blue they have announced next season’s Scottish Championships are being switched to Dumfries Curling Club.
“The event has been held at the Dewars Centre in Perth for as long as I can remember.
“That doesn’t mean that things have to be set in stone forever but if you are going to take it away from Perth it has to be to a venue that is better or at least just as good.
“Scottish Curling are taking a huge and unnecessary gamble to take it away.
“It doesn’t need spelling out how challenging the next few months and years are going to be for our sport. This really hasn’t been a good start.
“There is a real danger that it is about to be devalued and made unfit for purpose.
“You wouldn’t take The Open or The Masters to a local nine-holer and the Scottish curling champs deserve the best conditions they can get as well. Hopefully common sense will prevail.”
The Dewars Centre was used as a training rink for Eve Muirhead’s Olympic medal-winning team.
A spokesman said: “Although they are first-time hosts for this event, Dumfries has significant experience of hosting successful major events, with the 2014 World Mixed Doubles and Senior Championships, two annual World Curling Tour events and a variety of Scottish Curling competitions being hosted there previously.”
