The most famous golf tournament in the world comes to Royal Birkdale, Southport, this week with the best players on the globe battling to win the Claret Jug. Sefton Council has been working with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and other partners for around 18 months in a bid to make the event one of the best ever.
A significant amount of work has been carried out to ensure that spectators can get to and from the course easily with a number of park and ride sites being set up, rail access improved and drop off points for coaches and taxis.
A series of improvements have also been made along the main routes to the course and across Southport to make the town look its best during the championship.
People can also log on to Sefton’s dedicated Open Championship website to get the latest information about traffic, news and videos from the course and other details throughout the event. There is also look at a range of details about corporate hospitality, health, travel, frequently asked questions and visitor information. Go to www.sefton.gov.uk/open
The 137th Open Golf Championship will draw in spectators from across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world and provides an incredible media opportunity to highlight the borough and the wider region as a great place to visit and do business.
As Padraig Harrington defends his Open title it is estimated that around £40 million of advertising value will be generated by the Open with much of that coming from TV exposure.
Hundreds of hours of worldwide broadcast time will be dedicated to the event and Sefton Council has been working closely with broadcasters to ensure they promote the area in the best possible way.
A further £30 million will be pumped into the local economy as thousands of spectators stay in hotels, eat and drink in restaurants and bars and use local shops and services.
Sefton Council chief executive, Graham Haywood, said, “Sefton will be in the centre of the global sporting spotlight with hundreds of thousands of people visiting the area and millions watching around the globe.
“We have worked incredibly hard in the run up to the event to showcase the borough to its full potential. Both residents and businesses have really got into the spirit of the event and we are sure there will be a warm welcome and atmosphere to remember throughout the week.
“There are a number of events going on in Southport town centre during the week and shops will be opening late in the town centre. Our restaurants and bars will be alive and I am sure there will be a chance to spot the odd celebrity enjoying the party atmosphere!
“Of course every year we host the Grand National and not many other boroughs can lay claim to hosting two of the world’s biggest sporting events just a few miles apart. We are confident that everyone attending the event and watching on TV will see Sefton as an incredibly diverse and stunning place to visit.
“With a large event like this there will always be residents with questions and I would urge people to look at our fantastic Open Golf pages on the Sefton website. There is a host of information, including videos, which will inform both local people and those around the world about how the event is going.”
Sefton Council www.sefton.gov.uk/open