So a few miles up the road we have some ponces whacking a pebble round some fields or other.
The provision, restrictions and general 'PANIC!' from the councils is intriguing me.
Examples:
They rebult the whole train station - for a couple of thousand visitors. Some of the A9 has been re-surfaced, signs replaced, trees cut back etc etc, all in preparation for the event.
One chap who's house overlooks the course has an injunction against using his balcony, farmers are restricted from accessing fields with tractors for the duration of the event.
Schools in Auchterader, local villages and one in Perth have been closed because the golfists car's need the roads.
The police helicopter has been buzzing back and forth from Edinburgh to Auchterader all day.
Outside our offices at Stirling Park and Ride, there were 19 police officers (plus many minion security guards) this morning, there are a dozen traffic lights waiting, temporary speed limits (20mph on a straight road), cones everywhere, the motorway sports lines of cones and signs and speed limits on and off...And the whole business park is apparently being shut early on Friday so the Golfists spectators don't have to wait as long...
.
It feels like the the upper classes can pull in more resources, more restrictions and delays for Joe ordinary that the Commonwealth had in place.
An injunction against using your own balcony? Jeez...
A few thousand? They are expecting at least 45,000 people/day (2010 in Wales attracted 244,000 overall) , from all over the world; plus over 1,000 journalists from 24 countries.
The Ryder Cup is one of the largest sporting events in the World.
The balcony thing is over the top, but you can't blame them for prettying up the place and preparing for large crowds.
It's also going to be one of the busiest airports in the world, they reckon 200 helicopter flights a day, that's double the heli's going out of Aberdeen every day.
I saw some of the mad traffic measures on the way up to Kinnoull the other day.
A few thousand?
Each train is 1000 people apparently, two from north and two from south each day I have been told. So yes, a few thousand, for a cost of £3.5m.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-28035203
Wonder how much cash it generates for the area and is that balcony story really true?
is that balcony story really true?
According to our admin lady, a fellow harp player who she practices with is the person who owns the balcony, and there a a few other similar stories / urban rumor going round.
ScotRail have organised a dedicated 2014 Ryder Cup service to transport up to 7,500 spectators each day to and from Gleneagles Station which is only a short walk from the entrance to The 2014 Ryder Cup venue.
Add to this all those arriving by car and coaches and other forms of transport and you have a lot of people.
Lost it for me when it went to council telly only.
They are expecting at least 45,000 people/day
Piffling.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badminton_Horse_Trials#Status
Annual event, no train station, no pointless waste of public money. See also Burghley.
If the balcony story is true, I'm sure they would be more than adequately compensated £££££££
They rebult the whole train station - for a couple of thousand visitors.
erm, locals will still be able to use it after the event won't they, who paid for the upgrades?
Just what I don't need 🙂
I need to get to Dundee on Friday from the South (M74)
Question for the locals, would the A90 be OK traffic wise if I shoot across to Edinburgh or would I be better crossing the bridge and then turning right to Kirkcaldy and North from there?
who paid for the upgrades?
British taxpayers.
Annual event, no train station, no pointless waste of public money. See also Burghley.
So..... what you are saying is that a completely different event, held in a completely different venue, in a completely different setting, in a completely different part of the Country has different access requirements/arrangements?
Wow!! That's some real damning evidence there.
So you get new road surfaces, tidying up, spruced up station and you are moaning about it? Did you vote YES by any chance?
I'd say it is, Mikey. A far, far bigger event, also involving some sportspeople doing sporting things in a large, faux-rural environment, that happens every year, and that hasn't needed any splurging of public money on it.
No roads are resurfaced, no £3.5m spunked away on a train station, no injunctions on balconies, etc, etc, etc.
So..... what you are saying is that a completely different event, held in a completely different venue, in a completely different setting, in a completely different part of the Country has different access requirements/arrangements?
Not to mention the numbers are the same as they're quoting total numbers not each day.
Outstanding nimby-ism. One of the world's biggest sports events right at home and someone still finds something to moan about.
"How dare other people enjoy something I don't."
no injunctions on balconies
My Gran's Uncle twiced removed gardner's daughter dog walker said they can't look out of their windows when the Badminton horse trials are on. They even have snipers watching in case they dare try.
mikey74 - Member
A few thousand? They are expecting at least 45,000 people/day
So roughly the same as a Liverpool home game.
They are expecting at least 45,000 people/day
So roughly the same as a Liverpool home game.
Indeed.
Badminton is often way over 100k per day on the cross country day. Silverstone, for both the F1 and bikes, I believe to be in a similar order of magnitude (If not larger).
[s]British[/s] English taxpayers.
*steps back. Watches the world burn*
Well, I was rather trying to set something up there, Stoner...! 😀
fo'shame CFH 🙁
I'm going Sunday! Get in the hole!!
So roughly the same as a Liverpool home game.
Not everyday for 6 consecutive days.
Get a grip FFS. Golf tourism is of huge importance to the Scottish economy as is tourism in general. This event showcases the sport and the country on a global level.
I'd say it is, Mikey. A far, far bigger event, also involving some sportspeople doing sporting things in a large, faux-rural environment, that happens every year, and that hasn't needed any splurging of public money on it.
Those venues have held those events every year for decades: You'd hope they had everything sorted by now.
Edit: Oh, and what Blackmount said.
[s]Golf [/s]Three day eventing tourism is of huge importance to the [s]Scottish[/s] English economy as is tourism in general. This event showcases the sport and the country on a global level.
So, why does one merit the splurging of public cash like this and the other not?
(This is fun...)
So, why does one merit the splurging of public cash like this and the other not?
Because the events you mention set up their infrastructure years ago.
Plus, both Burghley and Badminton are fine examples of Britains stately homes and I'd be very much surprised if no public money found their way into their upkeep.
Not everyday for 6 consecutive days.
No, and the copper at the entrance to our place says that they are having about half the numbers all this week, Fri/Sat/Sun then double to 40k+ visitors. Hence why we are shutting up shop on Friday apparently.
I am not objecting, it just all seems OTT on the transport / management of things (but then I am not involved in planning such things, just a bystander).
And it does seem that there are some 'issues' - how would you feel if your child lost 3 days of school, and you had to take time off work? Someone not allowed to watch golf from their own home etc?
Outside our offices at Stirling Park and Ride, there were 19 police officers (plus many minion security guards) this morning, there are a dozen traffic lights waiting, temporary speed limits (20mph on a straight road), cones everywhere, the motorway sports lines of cones and signs and speed limits on and off...And the whole business park is apparently being shut early on Friday so the Golfists spectators don't have to wait as long...
i work nearby at craigforth and saw more traffic cops policing that ridiculous 20mph zone today that i have for the rest of the year in the area. so bugger them, i went along at 15mph in 2nd gear. the queue was the length of the road by the time i got to the park and ride. luckily i can boost up the m9 north to get away because the roads on tuesday round the fire station were horrendous and that was pre-5pm. friday will be carnage....
It shows that the industry now generates a total of £1.171 billion in revenues and employs more than 20,000 people in Scotland – accounting for one in every 125 jobs in the country. Wages alone total £300 million.According to the report, once costs are taken into account, golf directly contributes £496 million to Scotland’s gross domestic product (GDP) annually, equivalent to 0.4 per cent of the country’s total economic output.
There are now 597 golf courses across the country, supporting more than 12,300 jobs and generating annual revenues of £582 million, with at least eight golf course projects currently in the planning and development phases.
Sales of golf equipment, clothing and accessories are worth a further £157 million a year, supporting 1,660 jobs, while golf tourism is worth at least £120 million to Scotland’s economy.
I'd say that promoting Scottish Golfism is worth a bit of extra expenditure once every few years.
I stand corrected.
Bring on the queues of traffic tomorrow...oh wait, I am on the train.... 😉
bugger them, i went along at 15mph in 2nd gear. the queue was the length of the road by the time i got to the park and ride.
That'll teach 'em. 🙄
Can't wait! Which team are going to win?!
thanks Drac. i had considered doing 97 through the area but the speeding ticket would have been nothing compared to the flaming from STW's armchair jury.
Can't wait! Which team are going to win?!
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As a further aside, was in Edinburgh yesterday, along with a surprisingly large amount of USA supporters. Well, I made the assumption they want USA to win based on the stars n stripes shellsuits, caps, visors, fannypacks etc.
But what really caught my eye were the Go-pros. Saw loads of bell ends with them on chest mounts, selfie sticks and even in their hands. Not sure what footage they hoped to capture, but a fair few of them will feature a devilishly handsome young(ahem) Scottish father and his two kids dishing out dirty looks at the camera's operators for stoating about gormlessly on already crowded pavements!
YOOOOO ESSSSSSS AYYYYY!
Ps golf is shite but I really want Europe to win now...
Golf, a game for toffs, tory's and right wing Christian fundamentalists, utterly detestable sport played by detestable people.
Especially crazy golf. My wife's nan used to own a course down on Southend seafront, and that was crawling with god-squadders, posh-types and young conservatives. 🙂
I don't believe the balcony story for a minute. How on earth can someone be stopped from using their own balcony in their own house in it's own grounds?
I can fully understand your disgust. We've just had to endure the same ourselves. Due to some bunch of bloody idiots on bicycles wanting to cycle up our road, trying to be faster than one another, the local council has just resurfaced it. Just so they can do this....
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And apparently I'm not allowed to park outside my own house for a morning! And the place will be full of bloody people!! I'm outraged!! Absolutely bloody apoplectic!!! I'll be writing to the local council and telling them they need to sort their bloody priorities out!!!
Oh... wait.... hang on a minute ...
So you get your local facilities spruced up? Loads of people bring stacks of cash into the local economy? And the problem with that is......?
Cheer up you miserable sod! 😀
I'd assume they're trying to prevent local home owners charging people admission (or even just getting mates around) to use their overlooking backyard/balconies/terraces etc etc to watch it.How on earth can someone be stopped from using their own balcony in their own house in it's own grounds?
Still bloody cheeky tho (if true)
Golf is a really shit use of our countryside though isn't it?
Not to mention the terrible waste of water in using it to develop naff tourist resorts in hot countries.
