DONALD Trump’s Ayrshire golf course has come under fire after it hosted a small tournament over the weekend – despite government guidelines on social distancing.
Around 100 golfers took part in the Turnberry Twosomes on Friday and Saturday, with players paying £295 each for two rounds of golf, overnight accommodation at Trump Turnberry and breakfast on the Saturday morning.
The event is not organised by the Trump family but by tour operators Golf in Scotland. A second tournament planned for next week has been cancelled.
Around the world, the Trump Organisation has cut back on some of its hotel operations and closed some golf courses, including in Los Angeles and the Miami area.
However, both Turnberry and Aberdeen are still taking bookings.
Green MSP Patrick Harvie was scathing: “I have no doubt that Trump and his businesses will always choose to put profit ahead of people’s lives.
“Continuing to encourage tourism in this middle of a public health emergency is deeply irresponsible, as many people living in rural areas are making clear. “
Eric Trump, the president’s son who manages the family business, said the company was trying to limit shutdowns.
He told the Washington Post: “As an organisation we are following federal, state and local direction and guidance very carefully.
“All of the associates in our company are family, and we are all awaiting the moment this pandemic is defeated so we can reopen and get back to work, running the best assets in the world,” Trump said.
It’s not clear if there have been any coronvairus redundancies in Trump’s Scottish business.
In the US the New York hotel is laying off 40 employees, and reducing the hours of others.
However, a planned recruitment open day at Turnberry has been cancelled.
In March, President Trump met with two Brazilian men with coronavirus at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here