MORE than 70 golfers and local  residents met at the weekend to  fight for the future of Allerton golf   course.

Members fear the municipal  course, along with one in  Kirkby,  could be axed in Liverpool  council’s next round of cuts.

A crisis meeting was held at  Allerton on Saturday after details  were leaked suggesting the  closures, which would save  £300,000, were  among the options  being considered by the council.

The packed room was told the  threat was serious but that a  campaign would be waged to  prevent  the closure.

Three clubs – Allerton, Dudley  and Allerton Ladies – are based at  the course while members  of the  public can use both Allerton and  Kirkby on a pay-as-you-play  basis.

David Howard, president of the  Dudley club, said the meeting was  well attended.

He said: “There was a great  deal of enthusiasm and some very  positive suggestions put  forward,  both at the meeting and  afterwards from other sources.”

Liberal Democrat councillor  Richard Kemp also spoke at the  meeting.

Labour deputy mayor Cllr Paul  Brant said last week he  was “disgusted” the budget option  had been  leaked. But Mr Howard  said he believed it was a positive  move for local democracy.

He added: “I suspect that without this information being leaked  this might just have been  passed  by the council and then it would  have been too late.

“Now we have the opportunity  to fight this and we are going to do  all we can to show the value  of the  golf course, not just to golfers, but  to the community as a whole.”

Lydia Brennan, of Allerton  Ladies, said the course’s links to  the city’s cultural heritage would  form  part of the campaign.

Research by music historians  has shown the cover of early  Beatles single Twist and Shout,   previously thought to have been  photographed in Sefton Park, was  actually shot at the  course.

She said: “It has a lot of  nostalgia attached to it.

“Many celebrities learned the  game there. And of course there  are the links with the  Beatles.

“At the meeting it was pleasing  to see local residents – including  one who lives on the golf course   itself and who had not heard  about any of this before the  information was leaked.

“Cllr Kemp spoke at the  meeting and told us he would help  in any way he could.

“We are going to fight this all  the way.”

A meeting over the proposals  will be held at Kirkby Golf Club at  7pm on Wednesday.