Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

CELTIC MANOR DIARY:A Ryder Cup miscellany

IN another case of ambush marketing by Paddy Power the Irish bookmaker was forced to bow down to the law and dismantle a 270ft promotional sign erected in a field and overlooking the Twenty Ten venue.

As the self-proclaimed “biggest freestanding sign in the world” was put in place, Paddy Power – the firm’s PR man – was himself booked in for a high noon date at Cardiff County Court to fight an injunction by Monmouthshire County Council to have the sign removed.

“We are clearly the victims of bureaucratic bullies and rich golf course owners, but we will respect the verdict of the court,” said Power after the court ruled in favour of the council.

“Monmouthshire County Council’s tactic of parking a bulldozer beside the sign this morning was quite threatening, but we’re happy that the court has let common sense prevail and allowed us three days to remove the sign safely. I guess it’s a textbook case of – we fought the law and the law won!”