Bookies in court to defend Ryder Cup sign
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A Welsh court will decide if a huge advertising sign overlooking Celtic Manor must be pulled down.
Paddy Power will be appearing in Cardiff County Court at noon today to answer questions about a giant 270ft promotional sign they have erected on a site overlooking Celtic Manor Golf Course in Newport.
The publicists have erected three tower scaffolding frames on farmland overlooking the Twenty Ten course on which to display a 50ft x 270ft Paddy Power sign last seen on Cleeve Hill during the National Hunt showcase.
Celtic Manor Resort owner Sir Terry Matthews is furious at the way Paddy Power are trying to deflect attention away from the official Ryder Cup sponsors. He described the bookmakers as ‘scum’ in an interview with BBC Wales yesterday and added: ‘It’s just disgraceful that genuine backers of the event can be usurped in such a fashion.’
Monmouthshire County Council are seeking an injunction to force Paddy Power to remove the sign however the bookmaker has come out fighting and Paddy Power himself will be appearing in person in court today to defend his giant structure.
Paddy Power said “I’m hopeful for a positive outcome today. The plan was always for the sign to give the Irish lads on Team Europe an extra kick on the final few holes at Celtic Manor”
The gigantic Paddy Power sign which was originally unveiled last March on Cleeve Hill to coincide with the annual running of the Cheltenham Festival was intended to add some sparkle to the year’s Ryder Cup scheduled to place a mere stones throw away from where the sign is located.
