The badge of Wigan Athletic Football Club
A golf club has been suddenly closed down by its new owner, Wigan Athletic Football Club, despite assurances just days ago that it would remain open.
Charnock Richard Golf Club in Lancashire, which was built in 1994 on predominantly freehold land and has been operated by the same family since, was put up for auction last month with a guide price of £650,000.
Championship football club Wigan Athletic bought the club with a view to converting it into a training ground, but immediately released a statement to concerned members and staff at Charnock Richard, saying: ‘Wigan Athletic stress that the golf club will continue to operate as normal during the current golf season and all competitions and fixtures will be honoured.’
However, this weekend, after learning that the course machinery needed to be replaced at a cost of £30,000, Wigan Athletic released a new statement saying that the course and its restaurant will close with immediate effect.
A spokesman said: “It was originally intended for the course to remain open for the duration of the current golf season, however, it has become apparent that the remaining ground maintenance equipment was not in a suitable condition to allow us to maintain the course to an appropriate standard and unfortunately we have no alternative but to close the facilities.
“The decision made is a regrettable one, but one that has been made after much consideration.
“We apologise to members for any inconvenience that has resulted from the cessation of trade of the previous company.
“The land and property has been purchased to develop football academy facilities subject to future planning permission, and any questions members have regarding membership or restaurant and clubhouse bookings should be directed to the golf course operating company, Hole in One Golf Club Limited.”
Staff and members have said they are furious.
President John Sinclair said: “The letter is the first we have heard from Wigan.
“We haven’t had a chance to speak to them or put our case forward, they have decided to close and we are all very, very disappointed.
“They haven’t even submitted a planning application yet and do not know whether it will be passed. It could take months before anything starts to happen.
“It seems very unfair especially as we have some big competitions coming up, but it doesn’t look like we can do anything about it.”
Director of golf at Charnock Richard, Alan Lunt, who had worked at the club for 12 years, added: “Staff were not aware of the content of the letter. We were kept in the dark by everyone that we had been made redundant.”
Wigan Athletic’s purchase of Charnock Richard is the second time this summer that a Championship football club has bought a golf club to convert into a training facility. Reading FC have also bought Bearwood Golf Club.
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