Golf wouldn’t have cost council £1m

So good to see in the Chronicle yet another letter bemused about this council’s attitude towards Entry Hill. The council’s determination to drive affordable golf from Entry Hill and risk £500,000 of its money in the creation of a mountain bike park seems, at the least, very risky. Especially as a report in this paper now puts the cost at £1 million.

The council didn’t need to risk all this money. Throughout the whole tendering process to find a new leaseholder for the site there was always a golf bid on the table. A golf bid that did not need any council money, a self-financing golf bid very aware of Entry Hill’s potential and value to the city.

Those interested in taking over the golf course were always amazed that the council could be claiming that Entry Hill was making a £70,000 annual loss. Those of us who played there and those who actually worked at Entry Hill were not so surprised. There were many complaints about its neglect and I quote from an email I wrote to the council in October 2017: “Would you please give clarity on B&NES’ intentions about the future of this course? Does B&NES intend to let it slowly decline until it is no longer viable or does B&NES see its future as a golf course? At the moment it would seem the former is true?”

Just over two years later the council’s intentions became clear as it launched its survey on the future use of Entry Hill and closed the course.

It still seems incredible that the council is prepared to push ahead with this controversial, expensive mountain bike scheme which will involve huge disturbance to this former rubbish tip as well as aggravation to neighbours. It seems all the more bizarre as a cost-free golf bid was always available to them, a golf bid which could have taken advantage of the surge in popularity which golf is enjoying.

Does the council really know what it is doing with Entry Hill? Elizabeth Hallam by email