Plans to merge Darlington golf clubs Blackwell and Stressholme announced (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Plans to merge Darlington golf clubs Blackwell and Stressholme announced
11:04am Tuesday 4th September 2012 in News
Golfers take part in a charity golf day at Blackwell Golf Club
PLANS have just been announced to merge Darlington’s municipal golf course with a neighbouring club in an attempt to save Darlington Borough Council up to £83,000 a year.
Staff from both Stressholme Golf Club and Blackwell Grange Golf Club emerged from a meeting held at Stressholme moments ago where they were told about the proposal, which would see part of the existing Blackwell course sold to build executive housing.
As they came out from the meeting staff were told not to speak to the press about the briefing.
Some of the details of the plan are still unclear, but it is thought that the privately-run Blackwell Grange Golf Club would move to Stressholme to run a joint club.
It is not known whether the staff of both clubs would merge or if there will be redundancies.
Darlington Borough Council owns Stressholme outright and provides a subsidy to cover running costs, which has been steadily increasing each year as maintenance costs rise.
The authority has identified Stressholme, which includes an 18 hole course, a driving range and a clubhouse, as a site where savings of up to £83,000 a year could be made as the council tries to find £25m of budget cuts in the next three years.
Blackwell Grange Golf Club is based on two separate pieces of land, either side of Carmel Road South, part of which it owns and part of which it leases from the council.
Under the proposal, the council owned land, which surrounds the separately-owned Blackwell Grange Hotel, would be sold to developers for executive housing.
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Comments(15)
freelance
says...
11:30am Tue 4 Sep 12
Come on Darlington Borough Council get this sorted.
Those who use the facilities need to pay fees and any other costs at a level that makes their pleasures self-financing.
Homshaw1
says...
11:55am Tue 4 Sep 12
freelance wrote:Same will apply to the Dolphin Center then
Well....... I did not know we were subsidising the municipal course at Stressholme. Come on Darlington Borough Council get this sorted. Those who use the facilities need to pay fees and any other costs at a level that makes their pleasures self-financing.
freelance
says...
12:24pm Tue 4 Sep 12
Perhaps someone could inform.
It is of course quite different being a multi-activity facility unlike the single activity Stressholme Golf Course and offers healthy options to all including those who are financially disadvantaged.
Apocalypse Later
says...
12:35pm Tue 4 Sep 12
From what I hear they will not be voting for a merger anyway.
Dtonmaf
says...
1:38pm Tue 4 Sep 12
toffee2
says...
3:07pm Tue 4 Sep 12
freelance wrote:What planet do you live on freelance??? Have you ever used the Dolphin Centre, used a library, visited the Civic theatre, or any other Local authority venue. If so, then your suggesting that YOU yourself should pay 3/4 times the rate you currently pay to continue using them. If this were the case, these buildings would be empty. After all, they are public amenities for all, and not just for those elite few that can afford to pay.
Well....... I did not know we were subsidising the municipal course at Stressholme. Come on Darlington Borough Council get this sorted. Those who use the facilities need to pay fees and any other costs at a level that makes their pleasures self-financing.
toffee2
says...
3:12pm Tue 4 Sep 12
freelance wrote:Not sure of the exact amount, but it is in excess of 1 million pounds a year.
It would be interesting to know how the Dolphin Centre is financed. Perhaps someone could inform. It is of course quite different being a multi-activity facility unlike the single activity Stressholme Golf Course and offers healthy options to all including those who are financially disadvantaged.
oliviaden6
says...
4:45pm Tue 4 Sep 12
I fear if Blackwell agree it will mean a end to the public playing on what was the original stressholme. Yes council need to make savings but to take this facility away from the general public is scandelous I would imagine that most of the council are members of Blackwell. It seems that this council is hell bent on screwing the general public at all costs? The working man likes to play golf also but cant afford the high green fees of these other clubs even if they can get in the door to play.
Spy Boy
says...
6:01pm Tue 4 Sep 12
lillyruby
says...
6:22pm Tue 4 Sep 12
Apocalypse Later wrote:the members have the last say but a lot off the members will vote for the move
The members at Blackwell need to vote on this matter firstly.
From what I hear they will not be voting for a merger anyway.
sarahd
says...
6:58pm Tue 4 Sep 12
I know dbc would need to find the money in the first place to build the houses but i'm sure if they were going to at least double their money, they would find it somehow
trafficman
says...
9:01pm Tue 4 Sep 12
robbieromec'ntlworld.com
says...
9:32am Wed 5 Sep 12
Oh Happy Days
says...
4:54pm Wed 5 Sep 12
Homshaw1 says...
11:16am Tue 4 Sep 12