Club manager “joking” over disabled email
By Seamus Rotherick
A golf club manager who has found himself at the centre of a media and political storm over an email he sent to an army colonel over disabled access at his golf club, has said he was joking.
John Maguire, general manager of Richmond Golf Club, sent the email after army colonel Mark Cuthbert-Brown was told there was no lifts for a one-legged ex-soldier friend of his to use at the club. This is because English Heritage prevents the club from making changes to the 300-year-old Grade 1-listed clubhouse building.
Instead, the club offered to provide staff to carry the man up and down stairs.
However, Cuthbert-Brown responded by reporting the club to Richmond council for an alleged breach of equality laws – even though there is nothing the council can do.
Maguire then wrote to Cuthbert-Brown stating that the action “proves my suspicion of just how sad a character you must actually be”. Referring to a music college that Cuthbert-Brown works at, Maguire stated: “I just hope that your ‘little’ organisation is fully compliant with all current H&S, fire regulations as we could all play ridiculously petty little games if we choose. I suggest you stick to playing the triangle, as it’s more suited to your personality.”
The email has been featured in at least one newspaper and local MP, Zac Goldsmith, who is a member of the club, has been drafted in to oversee a mediation process between the two sides.
Cuthbert-Brown said: “I was deeply affronted at the extraordinary rudeness of that email. I thought wheelchair access could be taken for granted in this day and age.”
However, Maguire has said: “This is nothing to do with disabled access or Richmond Golf Club. It is to do with a military officer who has had people buttering him up all his life and who has got the arse because I spoke to him in the way I did. If he can’t take a joke then more fool him.”
He added that he hopes English Heritage will give the club permission to offer disabled access shortly.
By Seamus Rotherick
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The Colonel was invited to attend a reception for him and his charity team and to bring guests. He asked David and his wife as his guests. David is not exactly a small guy and is in a heavy electric wheel chair. David asked about disabled access. The Colonel checked and was told that there was none. He was told that they would carry him up the stairs. He passed this onto David, who said that he was grateful for the invitation, but thought it would save the embarrassment/effort if he didn’t attend. The Colonel went back to the club and relayed that; also questioning the lack of a proper solution. He was not told then that an application had been made. He was just told that it wasn’t possible because it was a listed building. He remarked that his establishment (Kneller Hall) was also a listed building and that they had been able to get the necessary permissions. He offered a visit to Kneller Hall to see how they had handled it and his help in getting the approval for the club. The response was essentially abusive and he was told that he wasn’t welcome to attend the event (being held — partly — in his honour). At this point he contacted the council. The council contacted the club. The result was the email reported. It was only in that email that the club revealed that they had made an application at all (prior to that it was just “we’re a listed building so can’t make the changes” or words to that effect).
What was the army colonel doing by making a complaint? It’s a listed building!