Lancashire club Beacon Park is set to close next month after nearly 40 years in business. Managing Editor MARK FLANAGAN tells the extraordinary story of how, during the last ten years, a golf club and its course were inexplicably ruined (part 1 of 4).
On March 31st, Beacon Park Golf Centre near Wigan is due to close. Opened in 1982, the municipal course will be shut after a vote was taken by its landlord West Lancashire Borough Council (WLBC) on December 14th last year.
The vote was not open to the public but golfnews24 understands every single councillor who attended (53) voted to shut Beacon Park. It is believed the one abstention came from long-time Conservative member David O’Toole, who was not at the meeting.
Two days later a story appeared on https://www.westlancs.gov.uk announcing the decision and the council’s Leisure portfolio holder Carl Coughlan (Lab), sounded like a happy man as he outlined his vision for the future of Beacon Park, which also incorporates a small country park.
He said: “These plans will open up so many opportunities to improve Beacon Country Park for everyone and will create a more engaging, accessible green space that will rival any similar park in the North West – the potential for improvements in health and wellbeing for our residents and the income generated by increasing visitors is an opportunity we cannot ignore.
“The current golfing facility has for many years required a significant subsidy to run. The decision taken represents the beginning of the journey in West Lancashire to reshape and revitalise our Health Wellbeing and Leisure offer, and I am grateful for the cross-party support to help us deliver the first significant step on this journey.
“Although this decision will not be welcomed by all it is important to note that there are many high-quality golfing facilities available within a short travel distance. And during these difficult economic times, the Council need to ensure we serve the majority of our residents rather than a small minority.
“We are eager to hear residents’ thoughts on how they think the current space occupied by the golf course can be used and what they would like to see there so we’ll be ‘opening up the floor’ in a consultation as soon as is appropriate. I would like to reassure everyone that we are committed to this site remaining dedicated to health, wellbeing and leisure and that all residents’ views will be heard and will help us to shape any plans moving forward.”
The plans Coughlan referred to were outlined in a report commissioned by WLBC and delivered by consultants FMG in January 2022. The 60-plus-page document, amongst other things, listed a raft of ‘Development Options’ for the land currently occupied by the golf course.
Higher up, the statement outlined how ‘officers will now undertake an options appraisal for future development possibilities for the site which will be in keeping and complimentary to the beautiful landscape of the Park’.
Golf staying at Beacon Park is not completely off the table although none of remaining members, who have put up with ten years of almost unrelenting mismanagement on a hard-to-believe scale, will be expecting much. In February last year the council invited applications to take over the running of Beacon Park and two North West-based golf operators made their interest known.
Love Golf Manchester and the Southport Golf Academy have both told golfnews24 that they would love take over Beacon Park and require no financial assistance. Yet more than one WLBC councillor has also told golfnews24 this is not true.
In fact, when asked numerous questions about Beacon Park, council leader Yvonne Gagen (Lab) said: “The problem is everyone one has an opinion on Beacon (sic) golf course and none of the rumours out there are correct. Regardless of how it was managed by serco (sic), both previous companies that ran the course both went bankrupt.
“There has and never will be enough members to make the course financially viable.
“However, we do intend to do a feasibility study to look at other options for the park. That would encourage far more visitors to enjoy a wide range of facilities not excluding golf.”
Later this month a Texas Scramble will be held (February 26th). 120 club loyalists and their friends will stride the fairways for one final time. Organised by members who are still fighting to save their club, it represents one defiant last stand. A petition to keep the course open has been signed more than 1,000 people.
One of those leading the charge is Craig Riley.
He said: “We won’t give up until is officially over.”
The passion and anger Riley and other loyal members feel is understandable when you consider what they have endured over the last ten years.
> THE STORY CONTINUED (Part 2 of 4): A Beacon of Despair – The Origins (1982-2012)
Also
• Beacon Park – a view by Mark Flanagan
• Who are Oakland Golf and Leisure?
• How landfill deals work
Do you have any information on what happened at Beacon Park? If so email [email protected]