Listed clubhouse to be renovated to provide better access for elderly golfers

Wigan Golf Club has been granted planning permission to renovate its clubhouse – which is a listed building – so that it can provide better access for people with disabilities and the elderly.

According to The Bolton News, the club wants to improve access with a new stairlift, disabled toilets and a flattened interior corridor. This will ‘allow better access for disabled people who want to be part of the club,’ states the paper, in particular elderly members.

The clubhouse, which is surrounded by a 12^th century moat, was built in the 19^th century.

In a statement, a spokesman for the golf club explained that the age of the building made it difficult for people with mobility issues to access certain areas.

He said that this issue is impacting on visitors using the club during external functions and older members who might not play golf any more but want to socialise at the building.

The spokesman said: “The club was built in an age where disabled access was never considered and suffers from having too many levels and it is very difficult to provide access to the whole building for anyone in a wheelchair or with severe mobility problems.

“Modifications to the building are further constrained by the Grade-II listing making internal alterations difficult to carry out.”

The paper adds that the club’s membership is made up of mostly people over the age of 50, with nearly a third of these aged between 66 and 85 and a further eight members aged 90 or older.

The spokesman added: “The age profile of Wigan Golf Club is one where older members, some of whom are in their 80s and over, still wish to play golf or maintain their association with the club but have reduced mobility and in some cases health problems which may inhibit their desire to play as, for example, they may require access to reasonable toilet facilities.

“This is the result of an ongoing modernisation strategy aimed at improving the facilities on offer.”