Quintin Jardine's blog

It’s begun.

The Open Championship may last for four days, for those competitors who make the halfway cut, but for the communities where it is played the circus lasts twice as long. Gullane has become Traffic Cone City; a plan is in place which is confusing many people, but I am sure that its authors know what they;re doing and that it will work. (They may not get all the cones back, but I don’t suppose they’ll be too worried.) I’ve done my morning book shift and shortly Eileen and I will venture out to the tented village, before it becomes too crowded later in the week, and to see who’s on the practice ground.

Early good news is that local businesses are adapting to the situation. For example, Falko, our famous German baker and coffee shop owner, is serving dinner from six till midnight. If you like schnitzels it’s the place to go; if you don’t know whether or not you like schnitzels, it’s the place to find out.