Midlands golf club permanently closes

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir December 1, 2020 07:13

A golf club in Coventry has announced that it will not be reopening when the English lockdown ends on December 2, and all memberships have been cancelled.

Brandon Wood Golf Course & Club posted on its website that the course will not reopen as it has been losing money for some time.

Throughout the pandemic, the facility has been provided with additional funding and support, but is no longer viable to operate, it states.

Staff have been made aware of the closure with a consultation period now starting.

Coventry City Council, which owns the land the golf course is on, said it would continue to work with Coventry Sports Trust, which runs the site, to provide support to those where necessary

The website confirms that all facilities at the club are now closed and that memberships will be cancelled.

Any money owed to the public will be refunded and people are being reminded to cancel their direct debit.

The council will now begin an options appraisal of the facility, including whether a golf course can be sustained or if an alternative use for the site will be appropriate.

‘It is with regret that we have to announce that Brandon Wood Golf Course will not reopen once lockdown ends on Wednesday 2 December 2020,’ states Coventry Sports Trust.

‘The golf course is operated by Coventry Sports Trust on land owned by Coventry City Council and has been loss-making for some time. These challenges have been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Coventry City Council has in the past supported the Trust with additional funding so that the facility could remain open. However, with well-documented financial pressure faced by the local authority, it cannot provide ongoing financial support – a position Coventry Sports Trust understands.

‘Therefore, Coventry Sports Trust has decided that the facility is no longer viable to operate without additional funding. A consultation period has started with staff affected by this decision.

‘Coventry City Council will now start an options appraisal on the future of the facility. This will include exploring whether a golf course can be sustained or whether there should be an alternative use for the site.

‘The council will continue to work with Coventry Sports Trust and provide support where it can in what continues to be an exceptionally difficult operating environment.

‘The council also remains committed to promoting sport and wellbeing.’

A number of golf clubs have closed down during the pandemic, such as Allestree Park Golf Course, Letham Grange Golf Club, Swinton Park Golf and Country Club, Rusper Golf Club, Cleeve Hill Golf Club, Browns Golf Course, Brucefields Family Golf Centre, Bulwell Hall Golf Course and Country Park, Patsull Park Hotel, Golf and Country Club and Magnolia Park Hotel and Golf Club.

However, this is significantly less than in recent years, many more golf clubs have reported their strongest year ever in 2020 and at least two of the clubs in that list may survive or be resurrected according to recent reports.

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir December 1, 2020 07:13
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6 Comments

  1. Griffin December 2, 12:31

    The only constant is change…….back in the late 80’s I used to sell Golf equipment for Wilson Sports, Brandon Wood was one of my top customers, selling open stock clubs, like the good old Sam Snead and Patty Burg! In those days new or casual golfers would play at their local municipal. The game boomed off the back of cheap golf – a ‘pile it high /sell it cheap’ approach and it worked. Then the 90’s and early noughties many hundreds of new courses opened, based on the perceived demand and shaved off the best and most committed players, so the municipals were exposed by often poor/ outdated facilities, no investment, no shiny clubhouse or course changes. Then councils decided to outsource the course & shop so suddenly the model didn’t work and even cheap golf was not enough….I note recently two more municipal courses are closing in the Midlands; Hilltop and Allestree Park. Amazing how participation has spread and created so many casualties….. most weeks a course has closed in the UK this year. The laws of supply and demand have disrupted the game.

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  2. Ian S December 1, 18:57

    Hopefully UK Golf will be looking into the circumstances.
    Not read the detail but sad to hear

    Just hope it’s not gone to the Developers.

    Golf Trumped again now there’s a thought

    Reply to this comment
  3. Peter December 1, 18:54

    And…there are these too !! Just as in past recessions, the weak get get weaker while the strong often get stronger !! While this downturn has been different, lifestyles, habits and people have changed, in some ways even deeper than past recessions !! This external environment has been harsh, cruel and glum !!! For some, nothing could be done !!

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  4. Ward December 1, 18:06

    Such a shame. Had many a round at Brandon Wood in the early 2000s

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  5. Linda F December 1, 15:33

    Very sad to hear!

    Reply to this comment
  6. Sarah W December 1, 11:08

    That is sad news..

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