An ongoing spate of vandalism at one of Scotland’s top golf resorts has prompted a fed-up businessman to put a price on the heads of hooligans.
Ross Smyth, 50, managing director of Smyth Composites, has pledged to pay a reward to anybody with information regarding acts of graffiti and malicious damage beside Carnoustie’s famous links.
Councillor Brian Boyd said he was disgusted after discovering that the Beach Hall on Links Parade, just yards from Carnoustie Golf Hotel, had been daubed with spray paint.
The fresh find comes just four days after a paddling pool at the town’s Sandy Sensation play area was forced to close, after vandals ripped up its surface on Thursday night.
Mr Smyth said he was “incensed” to read a report on the damage in The Courier and is willing to “put his money where his mouth is.”
He added: “I can’t comprehend the malice that some people display at the expense of the decent folk of Carnoustie, particularly the younger children and visitors to the town who are robbed of a superb facility for a period of time.”
“To that end, I’d be happy to put up a reward of £250 for information leading to the prosecution of those responsible and hopefully would act as a deterrent to any other morons who think they can get away with it.
“I live in the town and have a business in the town and I have workers who utilise these facilities with their families.
“I’m trying to send out a message that, if these people continue these acts of vandalism, we are going to come after them, and I have put up this reward in the hope that we can eradicate the problem.”
The incident at the paddling pool was the second time the same spot has been hit by vandals this year. Council officials said they had no choice but to seal it off until repairs can be completed.
Mr Boyd praised Mr Smyth for offering a reward and called on residents to report information on the vandalism or graffiti.
“Somebody has painted this graffiti whilst standing on a 1920s flat roof some 25 feet above ground level,” he said.
“Does he or she want to kill themselves?”
Community police officer Steve Borland was at Links Parade to survey the damage. He said if was difficult to tell when the graffiti was added to the Beach Hall as it has only just had scaffolding removed.
“The community policing plan shows the public in Carnoustie view anti-social behaviour as a priority and that makes it a priority for me and for Police Scotland,” Mr Borland said.
“It is something we take seriously and we will be looking for help from members of the public to establish who is responsible and bring them to justice.
“I have stood here and watched families approaching the pool with the intention of using it and it is both saddening and maddening when they are unable to do that.”
Vandalism and anti-social behaviour is a regular issue in Carnoustie with residents often complaining about damage to the town, particularly the War Memorial.