Six of the region’s most popular golf courses closed as operator ceases trading

Heaton Park golf course

Six golf courses in the North West have been forced to close after the company which runs them collapsed.

Mack Golf has gone into liquidation with immediate effect.

The collapse of the firm has led to the closure of the popular course at Heaton Park in Manchester as well as Bowring Park Golf Course in Huyton, Merseyside, and Ellesmere Port Golf Course.

Knights Grange Golf Club in Winsford has also closed its doors along with Stanley Park in Blackpool and Stony Holme in Carlisle.

The company ran nine public golf courses in total across England and Ireland.

Notices informing users of the closures have been posted at the courses.

The notice read: “Due to unavoidable financial difficulties Mack Trading and Mack Golf are regrettably closing for business with immediate effect.

“These companies have ceased trading and are now in the process of a creditors voluntary liquidation.

“An official insolvency practitioner has commenced the insolvency process. All business debts will now be assessed by the insolvency practitioner.

“These debts will be evaluated in order of priority and the decision to either pay or discharge the debt will be made by official insolvency practitioner throughout this process.

“Any correspondence or enquiries should be addressed to the insolvency practitioner at Butcher Woods in Birmingham.”

Heaton Park

Knowsley council said it is meeting with staff and members at Bowring Park and “is currently looking at options to maintain the golf provision on site”.

Shelley Powell, Knowsley Council’s cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “We are incredibly disappointed at the news that Mack Golf has ceased trading.

“Over recent years we have worked hard to support the company to provide golf facilities at Bowring Park and would like to see this provision continued.

“We are now prioritising work to look at future options to maintain these facilities and are liaising with the staff affected and members of the Club to keep them informed of our efforts.”

Heaton Park’s 18-hole golf course, the pitch-and-putt course and the clubhouse have all closed with immediate effect.

The city council said it is ‘fully committed to ensuring that affordable, high-quality golf facilities are available at the park’.

Luthfur Rahman, the council’s executive member for schools, culture and leisure, said: “We were informed that Mack Trading, which operated the Heaton Park golf course and several other courses nationwide, had ceased trading at all of its UK businesses with immediate effect.

“This is clearly extremely disappointing for the many people who enjoy playing golf at Heaton Park.

“However, we remain fully committed to ensuring that affordable, high-quality golf facilities are available at the park and will identify a new long-term operator, while also examining all possible options to keep the course open to golfers in the short-term.”

 

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