Tiger Woods' Sports Bar Plans Criticised By St Andrews Residents

Plans by Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake to turn an old cinema into a sports bar in St Andrews have been met with anger by local residents of the historic golfing town.

Woods and Timberlake have teamed up to build a series of sports-themed bars under the name, T-Squared Social. A first bar has already been unveiled in New York and now the American pair have announced their plans to open a second site in St Andrews.

The pub, which plans to have golf simulators, other recreational games and a host of large screens, would replace a 1930s-style cinema just moments from the Home of Golf.

One of the film screens would be retained to show theatrical releases but the plans - submitted to Fife Council - have nevertheless drawn the ire of local residents.

“I find this very disrespectful and a bit cheeky, to be honest,"  St Andrews Community Council member Neil Dobson told The Courier.

"This town has been very good to Tiger Woods and this is not the way to repay residents. St Andrews is unique and that building is iconic. An American bar is completely out of keeping.

“It will be full of American golfers with nothing left in the town for children at all."

Another resident, Chris Main, was also left unimpressed with the plans. "It’s astonishing a university town loses its cinema to a multi-millionaire celebrity vanity project," he said.

"St Andrews has had a cinema here since the 1930s. My mother and father courted there. It’s one of the few independent cinemas left in Scotland."

The plans have not been universally opposed, though. David Morris, the managing director of the New Picture House in which the bar would be built, said the investment would be necessary to ensure the long-term future of the building.

He said: "The planned T-Squared Social investment will enable the local community, students and visitors, the opportunity to experience a broader range of cinema, dining and entertainment at the popular venue."

Woods won two of his three Open championships at St Andrews and has embarked on a number of golf-related business ventures alongside Timberlake. 

“I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many special moments here at St Andrews," he said when announcing plans for the bar. "We all wanted to bring our T-Squared Social concept here to add to the local community and be a welcoming place for those living in St Andrews and for visitors alike."