The St Regis Bermuda Resort has closed its golf course because of the “threatening attitude“ of residents involved in a land dispute with the hotel.

A spokeswoman for Hotelco Bermuda Holdings, the resort’s owner, said that the move was “unfortunate and detrimental to the good name of Bermuda”, and that it would “leave visitors with an unpleasant memory of their trip“.

The row has been rumbling on for almost two years after the hotel erected gates on public roads that cut through the golf course in St George.

Hotelco claimed that the barriers were necessary to block motorists who used the roads and golf cart paths as short cuts.

In March one elderly couple fought back by erecting a series of poles across a stretch of path that runs through their property and is used by golfers in buggies. The obstructions were later removed by two unidentified men.

The path, which allows golfers to go from one part of the course to another, is different from the road blocked by St Regis and, according to property maps, traverses the property of the couple.

Shirley and Gardene Gibbons later filed a criminal complaint with the police alleging trespass and damage to private property.

This week, Mrs Gibbons, 81, revealed that her husband had died this month at the age of 92.

In an interview with TNN, she said that the stress of the dispute had caused her husband’s death.

She blamed the Government for allowing the situation to go on for too long.

Mrs Gibbons said: “With all the stress about the landlocked property, this has caused my husband to be in his grave.

“I feel that the Government has let this go on too long. We have been dealing with this for two years now, and they seem to not even want to make any progress in reference to coming to a conclusion, and this is unacceptable.”

Mrs Gibbons said that she understood that Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, had refused to order the resort to remove gates it had erected.

She said: “This is our land, and Colonel Burch has said that the gate will not come down. So they’ve landlocked our property to make it convenient for the Regis hotel.

“We don’t have the money that the Regis hotel has, but the Government is supposed to be here for our people, and what they’re doing is really, really unacceptable.”

Mrs Gibbons’s son added that the family plan to build a wall across their property to block golf carts from driving through it.

Mrs Gibbons was joined by area MPs Renée Ming and Lovitta Foggo.

Ms Ming told TNN: “It breaks your heart. It’s upsetting and we know that we need to do better as a government in regards to this situation.”

Ms Ming noted that there had been “an amicable relationship” between residents and the Government when it operated the golf course for 35 years.

She added: “The only difference now is the erection of a gate, so we have to ask ourselves how we found ourselves in this space.

Colonel Burch stressed yesterday that the Government was still working to find a resolution.

He said: “I offer my deepest condolences to the Gibbons family for their loss. We recognise their frustration and understand their disappointment that a resolution could not be reached before Mr Gibbons’s passing.

“I want to emphasise that the Government has been actively engaged with the Gibbons family for well over a year, working to find a fair resolution.

“Our efforts have involved the participation of lawyers from both parties to explore various options. We are awaiting a response from the Gibbons lawyer to the most recent proposal dated June 7, 2023.

“It is important to note that the Government has presented numerous proposals, each aimed at reaching a satisfactory outcome. Regrettably, these offers have been declined on multiple occasions.

“Nevertheless, we remain committed to finding a resolution that addresses the concerns of the Gibbons family. We understand the urgency and the need for closure, and we are confident that a mutually agreeable solution can be reached in the very near future.”

Phil Perinchief, the lawyer representing the couple, said last night that there were “quite understandably complex, tense and intense negotiations on very difficult issues of fact and law, some historically so”.

“We do say as well that as is the norm in such matters, there have been several options, offers and counteroffers put forward to date by both the Government and my client as we work towards a fair resolution of this matter.”

Mr Perinchief disputed Hotelco’s statement that the company was working with the family’s lawyer towards a solution.

He said that there had been no direct contact, nor had he “sat at any negotiating table with any representative of St Regis/Hotelco”.

He also disputed the assertion that Hotelco closed the course for guests’ safety.

Mr Perinchief said that he had seen two golf carts and a Works and Engineering truck driving on the path yesterday morning.

He said the closure was “entirely” initiated by Hotelco, adding: “To what end is unclear at the moment.”

Mr Perinchief said that Mrs Gibbons had “threatened no one” but held a press conference to commemorate the passing of her husband.

He added that there were no barriers placed on the path through her property.

“That said, both the Government and my client are actively working to bring the negotiations back online with a view to reaching an expeditious and fair resolution for all concerned, one way or the other.”

Mr Perinchief said he hoped that talks would start “in earnest” over the next 48 hours.