Disappointment at unfair criticism

I was both surprised and disappointed to read the article by Gavin Ames in this week’s Advertiser relating to Maidenhead Golf Club in which he criticises the members of the club for voting to accept the offer by the Council to purchase the remaining years of the club’s Leasehold interest in the land.

It reveals either a complete lack of knowledge on his part of the facts or a lack of any business acumen.

The fact is that the freehold owner of the golf course is the borough council, which purchased the land in 1952.

At that time the golf club had the opportunity to buy it but unfortunately did not do so. The members at that time obviously relied on the borough council to buy it on the assumption taken (perhaps not unreasonably at that time) that the club would remain as tenants so long as the club remained in existence.

Thus a lease was granted by the council to the club for a period of 50 years commencing from September 29, 1989.

This lease will come to an end in 18 years time and as the land is such a valuable asset to the borough as a whole it is clear the council will not wish to renew the lease at that time.

They naturally wish it be utilised in a manner for the benefit of the whole of the borough rather than for the main benefit of the members of one sports club.

Consequently it is obvious that the golf club have no option but to agree to sell their short term interest to the council by surrendering their lease now as it is the only way to enable the club to obtain the funds to acquire an alternative site.

In these circumstances, unless Mr Ames is able to suggest to the members of the golf club in what other way they can secure their long term future, I suggest that he issues an apology to the members of the Golf Club in your next edition.

CLIFF HILLMAN Maidenhead Golf Club