Golf club has 13 windows smashed by yobs

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir January 13, 2020 09:12

A golf club in Bolton was attacked by a group of vandals on New Year’s Eve, who caused thousands of pounds-worth of damage as they smashed clubhouse windows.

A spokesman for Westhoughton Golf Club said 13 windows were smashed with bottles.

The two-storey building was ‘covered in glass’, and this was not the first time the club has been attacked.

The club’s secretary, Neil Robinson, said: “I came down to the club first thing on New Year’s Day to open up and found all this damage.

“There were nine double glazed panels smashed on the first floor and four single glazed panels smashed on the ground floor.

“They used our bottles from our bottle bin — the absolute cheek of it.”

According to The Bolton News, problems began in November, with as many as 40 youths gathering around the club on quiet weekend evenings.

He said: “There has been an escalation.

“We try to provide an oasis in the middle of Westhoughton, a leisure facility open to all to enjoy sport and the countryside.

“Unfortunately the mindless selfish behaviour of a small number who wish, for their own self-gratification, to indulge in gratuitous thuggery spoil things for everyone.”

The damage will cost thousands which the club cannot afford to pay, Mr Robinson said.

He added: “It could cost thousands of pounds, everyone is mucking in to help.

“Golf clubs have enough issues already. We are under enough threat from housebuilders and industrial park developers on three sides.

“Times are hard and every penny counts. We don’t know what to do to make this vandalism stop.”

The club released a statement on Facebook adding that immediate repair work and new glass panels (laminated) will be installed, security patrols will be provided on weekend evenings for the remainder of January and all of the benches and seating material at the rear of the club have been locked away. Shuttering will also be used to protect two ground floor windows.

‘We will also be actively looking at a CCTV system to protect the whole building. Investment will be approximately £5,000 and will be budgeted in 2020-21, but will also involve fundraising efforts. ‘Hopefully many of you will have seen / heard press coverage and a massive social media response. Council is determined that we do not want to create a ‘siege’ mentality and it is a case of the Club coming together and promoting our facilities. Please help in any way you can,’ it added.

 

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir January 13, 2020 09:12
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1 Comment

  1. Tom January 10, 16:42

    Not ‘Golf Business’ news! Just local rag stuff and again, not positive or helpful for the golf industry.
    Please let’s keep to the relevant, constructive stuff, which you do really well.

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