Article date – 07 June 2018
The deal with tenants, Green Circle Estates Limited, which manages a number of courses around Merseyside including Allerton Manor Golf Club and Kirkby Valley Golf Club, will oversee the day-to-day running of the golf facilities, which will remain open on a ‘pay and play’ basis.
Green Circle Estates will invest in:
· Refurbishment of existing clubhouse
· The introduction of adventure golf
· Development of a new golf clubhouse with bars, restaurants and a conference/function suite
· Improved golf course facilities
· Provision of a golf academy
· Improved parking facilities
The council had previously tested the market twice for tenants to determine the best way to ensure the course could develop.
In October 2017, Cabinet members approved negotiations with the preferred bidder, Green Circle Estates Limited, for a 150-year lease that sets out facilities to be provided including further site development.
Welcoming the news, St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Based and Focussed Services, Councillor Anthony Burns, said: “We spent time making sure we got the right partner for the course.
“I’m delighted we have now struck a good deal that ensures this great course will not only continue to be open for the St Helens public to use, but is now set on a rapid road to improvement.
“In the future, we hope this will lead to better facilities for the many residents and families who use Sherdley Park.
“This arrangement is an opportunity for new life to be breathed into the borough’s golf offer and I’m sure golfers locally and across the region can look forward to an improved leisure offer here in St Helens.”
Marc Smith, Operations Director for Green Circle Estates Limited said: “We are delighted that St Helens selected us to be their golf operating partner for Sherdley Park. The facilities are under par and our vision is to transform both the golf course and off-course leisure facilities and we will offer pay and play golf at affordable prices.
“Given the length of the lease at 150 years we can now significantly invest in the estate.
“We have set out a simple yet ambitious vision to create facilities that will match, if not exceed the standards of the region’s best private members golf clubs whilst safeguarding the principle of affordable pay and play golf for all.
“Green Circle Estates have a demonstrable track record in delivering significant improvements and changes to underperforming golf courses and creating family leisure destinations with outstanding food, beverage and wider leisure facilities with a focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience.”
Photo caption: Council Leader Derek Long (second on the right) and Councillor Anthony Burns (third in on the left) pictured with (left to right) Michael Hanlon, Helen Bamford, Marc Smith and Bryan Joelson-Mulhall from Green Circle Estates.
