Free crazy golf in Bishop’s Stortford town centre from Thursday to Saturday, April 4-6

Crazy golf is coming to Bishop’s Stortford – and East Herts Council is inviting residents of all ages to put their skills to the test.

A pop-up nine-hole course on the redundant former Charringtons car park in Old River Lane will be open for three days from Thursday to Saturday (April 4-6), from 10am to 4pm each day. No booking is required.

Playing the course will be free, but donations to East Herts Council chairman Cllr Calvin Horner’s chosen charity, Isabel Hospice, will be welcome, either in cash on the day or online via www.isabelhospice.org.uk/donate.

East Herts district councillor Sarah Copley, who is also Stortford’s deputy mayor, said: “We’re committed to driving footfall into the town and making effective use of Charringtons before work starts to transform it into a vibrant community space.”

The council is offering the space free of charge to businesses which can offer ways of using it to the benefit of residents. Potential operators will need to take responsibility for maintaining site security, have full insurance for their activities and enter into a licence agreement with the council. Certain activities may be subject to planning permission or alcohol or entertainment licensing.

This event is being run on behalf of EHC by Swindon-based Odin Events, which claims to be “the UK’s leading event entertainment specialists”.

At Christmas, hundreds enjoyed free family fun on a skating rink on the car park in a joint initiative by EHC, the BID and Bishop’s Stortford Town Council. The authorities split the £6,800 cost of providing the synthetic rink for three days between Christmas and New Year with the help of £1,000 sponsorship from Lit Fibre.

It was free to use with 720 slots available in total. After a controversial last-minute rethink, an online booking system was introduced for 540 reservations which were snapped up within two hours, leaving 180 available for those who turned up on the day. The one-hour skating sessions allowed 40 skaters of all ages to use the rink from 10am to 4pm each day.

The response from residents varied from pithy disdain to disappointment at the lack of festive atmosphere and appreciation and great enjoyment.