Sefton alone enjoyed a boost of more than £20m as a record 235,000 spectators descended on the world famous links course to watch the best golfers on the planet. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool city region’s economy benefited to the tune of more than £35m thanks to the staging of the 146th Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale in summer 2007.
Sefton alone enjoyed a boost of more than £20m as a record 235,000 spectators descended on the world famous links course to watch the best golfers on the planet compete for the famous Claret Jug.
An independent report from the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University estimates the event delivered at least £20.9m of business for local hotels, shops, restaurants, bars and transport providers.
Off-course spending by spectators is the largest proportion of the money spent locally, with goods and services bought in the area by players, sponsors, media and event organisers included in the calculation.
In a further boost to the tourism economy, an independent monitor of global television coverage of The Open captured graphic, scenic and verbal references to Royal Birkdale, Southport, England’s Golf Coast and the Sefton Coast totalling 707 hours and worth £50.9m in advertising terms.
Community and environmental projects in Sefton also gained a £100,000 benefit from the event.
Sefton Council leader, Ian Maher, said: “The figures quoted in this study are pretty spectacular and reinforce the fact that we can host amazing sporting events that showcase the borough right across the globe.”
The tournament is organised by the Royal & Ancient and its executive director – championships, Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, added: “The Open is a firm favourite with sports fans in the North West with Royal Liverpool in 2014 and Royal Birkdale in 2017 attracting 465,000 spectators between them.
“We were particularly pleased that 30,000 fans at Birkdale were under the age of 25 including 15,000 under-16’s admitted free of charge.
“It is right that major sports events are mindful of their responsibilities to the local community and to the legions of fans that make The Open the one the best players in the world want to win.”