Celtic supremo Dermot Desmond is reportedly leading a “group of rebels” after an almighty row broke out over members’ fees for a new irrigation system at an ultra-exclusive golf course.
The Irish billionaire is a member of Queenwood which boasts the likes of golfing legends Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Ernie Els among those who pay £13,000-a-year in annual fees – on top of an eye-watering £175,000 for a share in the club and a one-off “playing privilege fee” of £48,000.
Despite the wealth of the members list, The Times say a row has broken out over a fee of £1800 plus VAT that Gerard Tvedt, the chairman of the Surrey Club, wrote to members in January saying was needed for a new irrigation project, at a total cost of £3.4million, to ensure the lawns, greens and fairways are kept to their usual standard.
And the report states Desmond is the man who is leading the fight. In reference to money swirling around, the say: “In this context, an extra £1,800 a year for a new irrigation system might have seemed a trifling amount. Instead, it teed up an almighty row between Queenwood and its members. A group of rebels led by the Irish billionaire Dermot Desmond laid siege to the board, demanding answers over Queenwood’s finances and changes to the way it is run.
“Fred Green, its octogenarian founder, flew to the UK for crisis talks with members this weekend in an attempt to defuse the situation, promising to listen to anyone ‘who would like to exchange information and express their views on the current dialogue that has consumed so much energy’. The spat provides a rare glimpse into the moneyed world of luxury golf and the intense passions it arouses among the rich and powerful who enjoy it.”
The row reached boiling point when member Aidan Heavey, founder of the energy giant Tullow Oil pored over the accounts and sought legal advice on how to change management – which resulted in his membership being cancelled. And that is when Desmond is reported to have stepped in. The report says: “Then Desmond swung into action on the rebels’ side. The mustachioed 73-year-old former owner of London City airport emailed the board, copying in all 400 Queenwood members, saying the directors were ‘attempting to bully and intimidate anyone who dares to raise legitimate concerns’.
“His note was co-signed by 37 members including the former McLaren boss Ron Dennis, former Liverpool FC captain Jamie Redknapp and one-time Chelsea FC striker Andriy Shevchenko. It concluded: ‘If we do not stand united against this Putinesque regime, the integrity and standing of the club will be profoundly and permanently compromised”.
Desmond is ranked is the ninth richest man in Ireland and has Celtic’s largest shareholder since the start of the century with 34.64% of the shares. His son Ross said at the club’s AGM last year: “My father grew up a huge Celtic fan. We don’t consider ourselves as shareholders, we are custodians. In his lifetime and mine, we will not sell the club.”
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