The thousands of visitors who attend the the Open Championship in St Andrews next week should remain vigilant but not be concerned about security despite the UK being at a “severe” risk of a terrorist attack, Scotland’s top police officer has said.
Britain is at a greater threat from terror attack now than it was at the time of the 7/7 bombings a decade ago, according to experts at leading UK security think-tank the Royal United Services Institute.
With the level now standing at “severe”, meaning an attack in the UK is “highly likely”, members of the public are advised by the security services to always remain alert to the danger of terrorism and report any suspicious activity to the police.
In an interview with The Courier at the Old Course in St Andrews, Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said a “proportionate” security operation at the Open would aim to keep the event safe and secure.
He said: “Our job is to make sure the event goes ahead in the best possible light. To ensure a massive global TV audience sees it in the best possible light. And to make sure people who come here are safe and secure.
“I don’t think people should be concerned about it. I think it’s important to stress that the background high level of security threat across the United Kingdom is the same across the whole country.
“There is extra policing because every big event like this is a global event. There is no intelligence to suggest any added threat to the Open this year.
“Obviously we are in place to ensure it is as safe and secure an event as possible.
“That includes looking at all kinds of threats, as we do with every big event like T in the Park, the Open and every other big event.
“We have a lot of experience in doing that. Most recently the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup.
“So we know how to weave in security arrangements at the Open so that it doesn’t appear to be in any way worrying or threatening to the people who are visiting. It is meant to be reassuring.”
At the St Andrews Open in 2010, visitors had to go through airport-style security to gain entry to the course. Details of this year’s operation are being kept under wraps.
Sir Stephen added: “I don’t want to go into too much detail. You’ll appreciate that for reasons of security there are aspects in place. But it’ll be proportionate.
“We work very closely with the organisers to make sure the plan is appropriate, it is not overly onerous for the public, but it is designed to keep people safe.”
More than 200,000 spectators are expected at the Open which runs from Sunday July 12 until Sunday July 19.