Closed Wirral golf course is saved

By Alistair September 24, 2023 07:15

A golf course that was closed down in 2022 has been saved and will reopen following what has been described as an emotional council meeting.

Brackenwood Golf Club in Wirral, along with Hoylake Municipal, closed in April 2022 when Wirral Council withdrew its funding for the two courses due to its financial crisis. Since then it has been maintained for free by its members, but has also been vandalised several times.

However, the club has now been told by the council that it can take over the course as long as it provides six sports pitches, which it has agreed to do.

The pitches will be used by Wirral Council to show the government that it can provide new sports pitches aimed at schoolchildren, which could pave the way for brownfield developments to go ahead as part of major regeneration projects.

Members of the golf club packed out a council meeting during which councillors thanked them for their hard work in maintaining the golf course for free.

When councillors unanimously agreed to reopen the course, there were cheers and applause as well as a standing ovation, something one councillor reportedly said had never happened in their 35 years on the council.

The golf club will also allow access to the site to archeologists. According to David Allen from Wirral Archeology CIC, the course is a “potentially vital site in the search for the location of Brunanburh, which is generally recognised as the battle that gave birth to the English nation.”

Keith Marsh, secretary of Brackenwood Golf Club, thanked officers and said he was “really pleased” the council now had confidence in its plan, adding: “I would like to place on record how immensely proud I am of the team behind this bid.”

He paid tribute to thousands of people who supported them, adding: “It is the community right behind us in droves that has made us relentless in our vision for the future. They have given us strength when we were down and have shared in delight when we have celebrated successes along the way.”

Image from Facebook

After the vote, council leader Paul Stuart said, “I applaud their tenacity and their determination. They have worked hard and demonstrated how passionate they are and that this means so much to them.

“I would say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Everyone had tears of joy, they were thankful, and they deserved it.”

Environment committee chair Liz Grey also praised the golf club for “really being careful and mindful about nature and they’re really putting a lot of effort into promoting biodiversity.”

She said, “They want to work more closely with ecologists. Now I’m really impressed by this. This is really helpful. This is a really good sign.”