Council wants to prepare for lucrative Irish Open

Council wants to prepare for lucrative Irish Open

2 July 2014

NEWCASTLE and Down Council have much work to do ahead of next year’s Irish Open at Royal County Down, according to local politicians.

They have warned the local authority must not get caught in the bunker in the lead-up to the event and work hard to make sure the resort is shining before the arrival of the world’s top golfers.

Politicians also want leading government departments and the Tourist Board to provide a cash injection similar to that granted to Portrush when it hosted the Irish Open two years ago.

Planning for next year’s Irish Open in Newcastle was discussed by members of Down Council’s Cultural and Economic Development Committee on Monday night, with councillor Stephen Burns teeing off the debate.

He called for the town’s granite footpaths to be power washed ahead of the major golfing event which will attract not only tens of thousands of visitors to the resort, but a global television audience running into millions.

Councillor Burns said litter issues on Newcastle beach need to be addressed, with the footbridge over the Shimna River repainted. He also suggested signs welcoming people to the resort for the Irish Open should be erected, and special maps printed for visitors to highlight the district’s tourist attractions in a bid to secure an even greater economic dividend from the flagship golfing event.

“We need to speak to the guys who organise events like this to see how we can maximise the opportunity it provides us with,” he continued. “Litter and fly tipping are a major issue in the resort and we need to address these also. We need to make sure the beach is spotless and I believe we need to provide more litter bins.

“The work we need to do will require a lot of co-operation between various council departments which will need to provide the finances to allow all this to happen. It is important that at this stage we all work together. People won’t forget us if we mess this up. This event is a major economic driver for our district,” he added.

Councillor Willie Clarke said the Irish Open provides Newcastle and Down Council with a “window of opportunity” and is one that must not be missed, calling for graffiti in some areas in the town to be removed as part of the preparations for next year’s championship. He said public toilets in Newcastle need to be cleaned more regularly with consideration given to expanding the number currently in place.

“Litter is an issue we need to address and get right. There is no room for error. This is not a dress rehearsal we are talking about, it’s the real thing and a lot of work needs to be done,” he continued, suggesting the

Dundrum Road roundabout in the resort “offers great potential” for doing something special to provide a great visual impact for visitors arriving in the town.

Councillor Clarke, who hopes financial support can be provided for local golf clubs to improve their facilities ahead of next year’s Irish Open, suggested special workshops should be set up to discuss planning for the Newcastle event, with local businesses asked for their input.

Council director, Michael Lipsett, said a meeting to discuss the Irish Open has been arranged with the Tourist Board and Newry, Mourne and Down Council chief executive, Liam Hannaway, agreeing it’s important to ascertain what money is being made available to support the Newcastle event.

“We have already met with the European Tour which organises the Open and discussed issues like traffic management and visitor flow and plan to meet with the organisation again,” he confirmed.

Mr. Lipsett confirmed council officials will also meet Stormont ministers Arlene Foster and Mark Durkan to see how they can assist with the organising of the Irish Open and how much money will be set aside for the event.

He also believes workshops to help plan for the Royal County Down event are a good idea, stressing the most significant issue will be setting a budget for the level of work required in Newcastle the run up to the Irish Open.