Golfers blast owner over sale of course
Royal Borough: Winter Hill members claim of ‘appalling treatment’
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Members of Winter Hill Golf Club, whose course is set to close at the end of the month, are unhappy with how its potential sale has been handled. Golfers say they had no warning of plans to close the course.
Winter Hill Golf Club members have blasted the owner of its golf course for its ‘appalling’ handling of its future closure and sale.
The John Lewis Partnership (JLP), which owns the Winter Hill course, is looking to close it by the end of April and has been in advanced talks with Maidenhead Golf Club (MCG) to move to the site.
Winter Hill members are angered they had no prior warning of this. Member Nicholas Yellowlees said an email about the closure from the owner was the first indication members had.
He said members should have been given ‘first dibs’ to collectively buy the course. “A fourfive-million-pound transaction is not beyond the wit of man.” he said.
Even though JLP later announced its plans to offer up the site on the open market, concerns remain about the way things are being done.
Partly, that those now looking to make a bid on the open market are not operating to ‘the same timetable’ as MGC.
Fellow club member Jim Dimmock had similar thoughts, saying JLP had treated Winter Hill members ‘appallingly, exceptionally badly’.
“We can’t believe JLP has behaved like this, without any consideration of the effect of the possible result,” he said.
“I have a serious illness and my doctor is delighted that I play golf three times a week – and it looks like we’re going to be deprived of this.
“A golf club is part of a part of a way of life – we have friendships with the other members.”
It is by no means certain MGC will win the bid for the site – a rival bid to keep Winter Hill open was announced by a golfing charity.
But there is not a lot of optimism for the preservation of the Winter Hill Club by its members.
“People don’t trust JLP to manage the process properly,” said Jim.
“We have lost any faith we might have had in them.”
A spokesperson for JLP said: “While this wasn’t a decision we took lightly, Winter Hill is neither owned nor run by its members, so there’s never been any obligation to offer them the chance to buy the club.
“As is normal for a deal of this nature, we progressed a potential sale confidentially to avoid unnecessary concern for those working at the club, especially as no decision had been reached.
“In response to broader interest, we’ve now given other parties the option to register bids. They've agreed to work to the timescales offered, and we will treat all bids fairly.”
An extraordinary general meeting for Maidenhead Golf Club members was set to take place last night (Wednesday), after the Advertiser went to press, to ask members if they supported a potential move to Winter Hill.