Welsh tourism chiefs, golfers and local businesses are united in their support for a £500,000 development of accommodation at Cardiff’s Cottrell Park Golf Club.
Cottrell Park Golf Club has worked closely with the Welsh Tourist Board on its plans for a single-story, 20-bedroom golf lodge. Guests will enjoy excellent views over the historic parkland as well as full access to all onsite facilities.
David Johns-Powell, managing director of Cottrell Park Golf Club, says that the design team has gone to great efforts to ensure the design complements the historic parkland setting. “The environmental impact of the lodges has been the over-riding factor in their design,” he says. “The parkland has taken over 200 hundred years to landscape and we will make sure it remains our single greatest asset.”
Welsh Tourist Board research shows that although Wales has some fabulous golf courses, if the country is to fulfill its potential as a golfing destination, it needs to develop and invest in high quality accommodation linked to courses.
Welcoming Cottrell Park’s plans, Roger Pride, director of marketing for the WTB, says, “The Wales Tourist Board, through its golf tourism strategy, is aiming to use Wales‘ hosting of the Ryder Cup in 2010 as a catalyst for growing golf tourism over the next ten years, by developing high quality product and marketing golfing throughout Wales on the back of this high-profile event. This project is a great example of this strategy in action – and we wish it all success.”
Nina Parker, proprietor of the nearby Great Barn Country Guest House, says that the new development will bring extra revenue into the area.”I do not look at the plans as competition but as a complementary business,” she says. “We are all currently missing out on precious business purely because of the issue of local accommodation. Every local business will benefit from the influx of tourism and revenue from short breaks and golfing holidays.”
Wayne Evans, Cottrell Park member and local taxi driver, can also foresee a huge demand. Passengers arriving at the airport or Cardiff Central regularly query him about a good local golf course and a place to stay. “You would be surprised at the numbers of enquiries I get every week,” he says. “Cottrell Park is a lovely location, but accommodation was always the stumbling block. “
The plans are currently with the Vale of Glamorgan Council and David Johns-Powell is looking forward to their feedback. He says that the Council understands the need for extra accommodation and facilities to improve tourism.
“The Vale has is a very forward-thinking council and we are delighted to be working with them. They have already spent a lot of time and effort developing golf tourism and I am sure they will see that this is a very exciting development; an excellent opportunity for the entire Vale of Glamorgan and everyone involved in golf tourism in Wales.”
Cottrell Park Golf Club www.cottrell-park.co.uk