John Lewis’ golf course up for sale
Winter Hill Golf Club in Cookham, Maidenhead, is up for sale as owner John Lewis looks to cut costs.
The John Lewis Partnership is currently due to make £350m in debt repayments by 2025.
The 200-acre site was purchase by the group’s founder in 1938 but was not turned into a golf course until the 1970’s.
It was founded in part to provide a place of leisure for John Lewis employees, who receive a discount on membership, although outsiders are allowed to join. However now only around 20% are employed or retired John Lewis staff members.
This was cited as a reason for the proposed sale of the club, which features a clubhouse and two residential properties:
“This isn’t a decision we took lightly. However, the golf club is no longer used as the employee benefit it once was, with just one in five members now having a link to the partnership,” John Lewis said in a statement.
“With a high level of investment required, for a very small internal audience, we have decided that Winter Hill is no longer the best use of our resources.”
Nearby Maidenhead Golf Club is reportedly looking into moving into the site.