Give Carnoustie an Open break

Sir, – I refer to the ‘row’ reported in The Courier over the last few days about the impact the No Readmissions policy will have on Carnoustie businesses, and how criticism may lead to the R&A choosing to go elsewhere, to the detriment of the town and to Angus (“Negativity risks loss of Open, warns councillor”, January 23).

I am confident the policy will be relaxed in time for the Open – in St Andrews in three years time! There is no way the conglomerates who own the Old Course, the Fairmount and other establishments will allow themselves to be bullied by the R&A.

Carnoustie’s place on the rota has recently depended on the antediluvian attitudes of the members of Muirfield, and now they have done the minimum best to save face for the R&A in accepting public money to support golf, the Open is unlikely to come back, anyway.

But there is another issue here, too, for Angus Council and the Links Trust.

Given the disruption to access caused by the traffic management which will be in place, compounded by the No Readmissions policy, why are both bodies not offering a pavilion on-site for local businesses to offer their goods and services free of charge?

It would be an appropriate gesture, given the huge loan of public money the Trust has already received to build the Carnoustie Carbuncle!

Or, if that’s not possible, at least offer local businesses a business rate rebate for the two-week duration.

It would be an Open tournament that’s not all about a greedy corporate circus coming to town and keeping all the goodies to itself.

John Davidson. 98 Caesar Ave, Carnoustie.