After a long delay and a fierce legal battle, a new golf and leisure park is to be built at the Bulgarian town of Avren. This rural town is home to a large British community and the golf course has been the subject of speculation for several years.
In the midst of the Bulgarian countryside, just a short drive south of Varna, lies the small town of Avren. Gathered round their winter fires, or relaxing at a summer BBQ, the Bulgarian and British residents share their stories. Did you know, for example, that Varna plays a major role in Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ story? Or that the village of Sadovo, near Avren, is famous for its vampire-hunters? And amongst all the legends and tales of wonder is the story of Avren Golf Resort.
Legend has it that a proud and dedicated Dutch man travelled to Avren to build a golf course. For 5 years the story has passed from one person to another – sometimes scorned and sometimes championed by those who longed to hear the ‘swish’ of a golf club. Now, finally, the truth is revealed. The legend is about to become reality.
On Thursday 4th February, 2010, in a presentation at the Municipal Offices of Avren, the plans for the Golf and Leisure resort were revealed. In the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Avren, the Chief Architect and other senior figures from the municipality, the developer, Jan van Herwaarden, and the designer of the golf course, Richard Le Sueur from Golf Design Scotland, outlined the project.
Richard described the history of golf, the role that the game has played in bringing communities together, and how golf has become a world-wide business involving billions of dollars. He told the members of the meeting that the new Golf and Leisure resort would be environmentally-friendly and that it would enhance the natural beauty of the area.
Jan explained that there had been a long legal battle with his former business partner, which delayed the project for 2 years. In November 2009 the case was resolved in Jan’s favour and he is determined to push the project forward to completion.
Today, a muster of storks was spotted soaring high up in the clear blue skies of Avren. (‘muster’ is the correct collective noun for a group of storks – in case you were wondering.) In all, we saw 18 storks during the return journey between Sadovo village and the English bar in Avren today – some in the sky and some wandering around in the fields. In Bulgarian folklore, the appearance of a stork is seen as a sign that Spring has arrived.
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