Planned sale of historic Mayo hotel falls through

The sale of the Imperial Hotel in Castlebar has fallen through.

Councillors passed a resolution in December to allow Mayo County Council to sell the historic party to a buyer who intended to open it as a boutique hotel.

However, the local authority informed councillors last week that the purchaser has pulled out of the sale. No reasons were given for this decision.

Following a long-running attempt to identify a potential purchaser, the council proposed to sell the hotel and the adjoining Glenpark building for €700,000.

The prospective buyer already runs the Gateway Hotel in Swinford and the Cill Aodain Hotel in Kiltimagh.

In correspondence sent to councillors, council management expressed disappointment that the sale would not come to pass. The local authority said a hotel at this location would be the best use of this historic building but it does not believe this is now possible.

"We must be cognisant that Expressions of Interest were sought on two separate occasions for this building and examined for the re-development of this property," states the letter. "I do not believe that a third exercise to seek Expressions of Interest would be any more successful and would further prolong the time period for the redevelopment of the property.” 

The council is now proposing to revert to the original proposal as approved under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund for Castlebar which is the redevelopment of the building for use as an Innovation Centre.

The next step is to to procure sub-consultants to progress the preparation of the necessary drawings and documents which will form the basis of the tender package for the project.

Built in 1785, the Imperial Hotel was the location for the founding of the Land League It was acquired by the council for €800,000 in 2011.

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne previously stated it was “shameful” that the building is being sold for less than the council originally paid for it.

His fellow Castlebar councillor Harry Barrett had proposed that the vacant premises become the new home for Castlebar Municipal District.

The collapse of the sale will be viewed as a hammer blow for the county town which has been crying out for additional tourist accommodation.