Police ground flyover protest
Two years after launching his ambitious Turnberry revamp, controversial billionaire Donald Trump was back in town to officially re- open the resort.
While most of the work has been carried out by son Eric, Trump ensured the eyes of the world’s media would be on a tiny corner of Carrick with his appearance.
The Turnberry stopover was his first overseas engagement since the Trump presidential campaign got into full flow.
And he made the most of it in front of an assembled collection of journalists and photographers, selling his new hotel and golf resort to the world.
Trump said: “To think we’d be here owning Turnberry one day is incredible. My mother would come here with her friends and have dinner – she didn’t play golf but she’d come A chartered plane set to fly over Trump’s press conference on the 9th green was grounded after the course was declared a no- fly zone.
The aircraft, carrying a banner declaring“Love Trumps Hate” was organised by campaigners 38 Degrees but Police Scotland took the wind from their sails by banning them from flying over Turnberry.
Paul Moores, who runs Air Ads – the firm booked to carry out the flyover – said the decision was and have dinner. Having taken this hotel and done the job we’ve done with it, it’s just an honour that I was given the opportunity.
“The town council have been incredible, all the politicians throughout have been incredible.
“They approved virtually everything we asked for, we asked for many things but every single thing we wanted they agreed it would make it good and, in some cases, great.”
Trump praised his sons Eric and Donald Jr – who the mogul says first brought him the idea of buying Turnberry – while daughter Ivanka also made the trip.
While Friday was the official launch of the redeveloped hotel and redesigned Ailsa championship course, Turnberry has been open for business since the start of June.
And Trump says opinions of the course so far have matched its five- “unprecedented” and branded it a slap in the face for democracy.
He said: “You’re telling me that I can fly a banner for two days over Westminster but an isolated Scottish golf course is a threat to national security?
“It’s an unprecedented speed of response, I’ve never seen it before. All so Trump won’t be disturbed.”
Around 40 protestors gathered on Maidens Road, outside the star design. He said: “The reviews of the course have been really phenomenal – even people who truly hate me are saying it’s the best they’ve ever seen.
“When they hate you and they give it a ten, that means you did a good job.”
With cameras of more than 400 members of the press corps pointed his way, the Republican nominee for the 2016 United States presidential election wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to talk politics.
He praised the UK for voting to leave the European Union just hours before he touched down – and said that Brexit could mean a business boost for Turnberry.
Trump said: “You know, I said this would happen. I think it is a great thing. We will see but I think it will be a great thing. Basically, they took their country back.
“When the pound goes down, more people are coming to Turnberry.” course, despite more than 100 pledging to attend on social media.
Former SNP candidate for Ayr Jennifer Dunn joined a Mexicanthemed mariachi band at the protest.
She said: “Donald Trump has said some really awful things about immigrants and women and about building walls between countries. It’s important to show that a lot of people in Scotland don’t support that.”