THERE will be no free lunches for councillors at this year’s Scottish Open, with hospitality off the table for the second time in two years.

East Lothian Council has invested £65,000 in a sponsorship deal with organisers of the event, held this week.

But officers said they had secured a money back guarantee that would see funds reimbursed if the event is cancelled and added that no money would be spent on VIP packages for members.

The Scottish Open has been at The Renaissance Club, near Dirleton, for the last two years, although it was held behind closed doors in 2020.

In 2019, when it was last open to spectators, it brought an estimated £4.7million into the local economy.

About 68,000 visitors travelled to the event, with a further 8,000 spectators attending the Ladies Scottish Open a few weeks later.

This year, while some spectators will be back, councillors have been warned hospitality is off the menu.

In 2018, when the event was held at Gullane Golf Club, the council invested £120,000 in the men’s event and just £25,000 in the women’s event.

At the time, it was revealed that the council had a table in the exclusive hospitality tent for each day the men’s event was on.

While how much of the investment went towards providing the hospitality packages was not revealed, a table of 10 in the VIP tent cost upwards of £3,900 that year.

In 2019, the council pared back its sponsorship of the event to reduce the amount spent on the men’s event to £55,000 and increase the women’s event sponsorship to £35,000.

This year, a report lodged in the council’s members’ library reveals that £65,000 is being invested in sponsorship of the men’s event this year – the ladies’ event is not being held in East Lothian this year.

However, it warned councillors: “Please note that no hospitality has been purchased for the event.”

Instead, the sponsorship will buy the council advertising and logo rights, on-course promotion of East Lothian’s tourism and signage.