Maghull Group strikes Allerton golf course deal

THE Maghull Group has signed a 25-year contract with Liverpool City Council to take over Allerton Golf Course.

The council has already struck a deal with Maghull for the North Liverpool municipal course at Kirkby and had hoped to hand Allerton to Preston-based Glendale until talks broke down in May.

The deals have been conducted with the aim of saving £2m over five years.

Under the original terms the council said the privatisation would save it £339,000 a year, an annual overspend it calculated based on an average subsidy per round of golf played over the past five years of £4.74. It should also generate rental income of £375,000.

It had hoped Glendale would pay £60,000 a year, linked to inflation, for Allerton, and has reached an agreement with Maghull for £50,000. The council said the the Allerton transfer would leave it better off by £234,000 a year.

Assistant Mayor and Cabinet member for culture and tourism, Councillor Wendy Simon, said: “This is really positive news, not only for golfers, but for the city as a whole. We have got to save £156m over the next three years, and the tough budget choices we are facing means we have to prioritise services.

“Sadly, we can’t continue to subsidise some activities so all partnership options need to be considered, including those from the private sector, to find different ways of securing their future. We already have a strong relationship with the Maghull Group due to our work with them over the North Liverpool Golf Course and we know they are committed to improving the golf offer along with the off-course facilities. This new agreement ensures that people can still play golf on a beautiful 18-hole course in one of the most picturesque parts of the city.”

Mike Hanlon, director of Allerton Golf Trading, part of the Maghull Group, said: “We are delighted to have been offered another partnership opportunity with Liverpool City Council, and our aim is to improve both the golf course and the club-house facilities at Allerton Golf Course.”

The Maghull Group is a property development business that also owns Formby Hall Golf Club.