Undiscovered pearl has more to offer than rugby and coal

Nov 24 2009 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

WHILE Southport is well-known as a tourism hot-spot, St Helens is perhaps not often seen as a must-visit destination.

But the town’s tourism champions reckon it’s an undiscovered pearl with lots to see and do – and it even claims to have more golf courses than Southport.

The World of Glass has been around for nine years, but the borough has more recently seen investment in a giant piece of public art, a golf village and a laser gaming centre.

One way of encompassing the town’s industrial heritage with a modern twist was the participation in Channel 4’s Big Art project. Sutton Manor colliery was nominated as a gateway site for public art by former miners.

Dream was conceived and designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, who has completed major commissions across the globe, his most famous work being The Crown Fountain in Chicago.

The intention from the outset was to put St Helens “on the map”, symbolise the area’s positive post-industrial transformation, become an iconic new regional landmark, and generate direct economic benefits, while also serving to reinvigorate local pride. The entire sculpture weighs 373 tonnes and is supported by eight piles, each driven 38 metres down through the colliery spoil to the solid earth below.

At the North West National Golf & Country Club, an investment of more than £5m has transformed 268 acres of land into the UK’s first golf village. It includes a 28-bay driving range and a golf academy with its own nine-hole course. A championship course, together with extensive clubhouse and gym facilities will open in May, 2010.

Director of Golf, Glenn Turner, who commentates on golf for TV and radio, and holds the world record for playing the most 18-hole golf courses in a 12-month period, has spent five years designing and preparing the course, including planting 22,000 trees, creating 12 lakes and establishing nature reserves.

He said: “This is an ideal location for us, the transport links to the rest of the UK are excellent, the surroundings are really beautiful and, of course, the North-West is already very well known for its great golf courses.

“This is a championship quality course and our aim is to attract a major event within three to five years. However, we are more than just a golf course. We will also be the largest coaching academy in the north of England. Five golf professionals will be based here and we will have an indoor coaching facility.”

The land forms part of the historic Knowsley Estate and a converted barn, built in 1850, is the centrepiece of the clubhouse, which will also include an a la carte restaurant, specialising in local produce, a sports bar and conferencing facilities.

The Northwest National Golf and Country Club, which will employ 150 full and part-time staff, has worked closely with St Helens Council as the development has taken shape.

St Helens is also home to Darkstar, the UK’s largest laser tag arena, and features a multi level “Hex” arena equipped with the world’s most advanced equipment. Players enter an indoor network of corridors, bridges, tunnels and ramps filled with special effects and amazing features. They then compete to “tag” one another, with shots coming from every direction and points are scored for every hit. The 13,500 sq ft arena is spread over three floors.

Manager Lynn Yousef said: “This really is the next generation of Laser Tag which will provide everyone from skilled players to total beginners with a completely new experience.

“This is the ideal location for us as we are easily accessible from all parts of the North West and the rest of the UK.”