Bracken Court Balbriggan on fire last night

SuzyS1972

I was coming home on the Nitelink about 1.30am and the main street was sealed off - the top floor of the Bracken Court was ablaze - very scary looking - some poor girl was on the street in her wedding dress.
Thank god no one was hurt.
The police dont seem to think it was deliberate but obviously they will be investiging the cause.

Abi

Yep. Heard that too. Not much about it at the moment. But the locals are broadcasting their own versions the story already.

cailinoBAC

My housemate saw it last night. Was lead story on lunchtime news.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0420/fire.html

sgarvan

saw the blaze myself last night. some damage done to the hotel.

http://www.balbriggan.net/BrackenFire.htm

Chinafoot

Some great photos by the balbriggan.net boys.

Looks like there was a fair amount of damage done alright. Pity.

Can't wait to hear the many different versions from the public when I go to work tomorrow.

santry_goonshow

As you will see on the Saffron post i was around the corner from there last night and we left the Restaurant abt 9.00pm. Balbriggan was full of people, the police had a guy pulled over up past the Combines Club, but I don't know if this means anything.

No honest, it wasn't me!:)

Bluetonic

santry_goonshow wrote: »

the police had a guy pulled over up past the Combines Club

A bit early for that club to be open wasn't it, we've hardly had any sun.

http://www.freefoto.com/images/07/03/07_03_20---A-combine-harvester-at-work_web.jpg

The poor auld Julianstown Inn is on fire too now.

wow sierra

Jesus lads if this keeps up I will have to copy the Limerick boys and set up a pub in my own house - not to mention learning to cook. Its going to get hard to get a pint and a bite to eat around these here parts. :eek:

Bluetonic

Fire in the Community College today too.

Perhaps 'The Lodge' finally blew a fuse.

Chinafoot

Bluetonic wrote: »

Fire in the Community College today too.

Perhaps 'The Lodge' finally blew a fuse.

lol :pac:

I heard there was a fire out in Julianstown too.

The rumour mill was in flying form today. Apparantly the library was closed due to the damage done from the fire and Dave's shop beside the library was meant to have been destroyed along with the hotel, the Pop In, the town hall and the library...

Doesn't look like there was too much damage done. Think some people's Digiweb access may have been affected as there was a mast type thingy on the roof of the hotel.

Bluetonic

Chinafoot wrote: »

The rumour mill was in flying form today.

Any truth in the rumor that when people were told to evacuate to De Bruns that a lot of them said they'd rather take their chance with the fire?

dubmick

go on you can have an LOL for that

Chinafoot

Heard today that all the staff have been let go as the hotel won't be re-opened until September. Apparently it's getting a major re-vamp.

Again, could be bull.

wow sierra

Heard all the staff were let go alright, but I don't know for how long. Also heard it might be opening again in a few weeks, dont know how true that is. It would be a bit of a disaster if it was closed for 4 months!!! Most of the community events, parties, and meetings of all sorts in the town take place there. I assume it is fully booked up for weddings for the summer also, and thats not even taking into account the accomodation side of things.

Anyone with inside knowledge be able to let us know??

P_1

Can Moriarity just let all the staff go like that? I just hope he's arranged some kind of reduncy payments for them, knowing him though thats probably just wishful thinking.

Bluetonic

pithater1 wrote: »

knowing him though thats probably just wishful thinking.

Care to explain or care to refrain.

blastman

Friend of mine works in the hotel, there was a staff meeting yesterday and September was mentioned as the target date, all right. The bar has been completely gutted already, an acknowledgement that the last re-vamp wasn't a good idea, I'd say.

Chinafoot

wow sierra wrote: »

Heard all the staff were let go alright, but I don't know for how long. Also heard it might be opening again in a few weeks, dont know how true that is. It would be a bit of a disaster if it was closed for 4 months!!! Most of the community events, parties, and meetings of all sorts in the town take place there. I assume it is fully booked up for weddings for the summer also, and thats not even taking into account the accomodation side of things.

Yeah I reckon it'll be a bit of a nightmare alright. There was a wedding booked in for this Friday but the hotel managed to sort out an alternative for the couple. I can't imagine that's going to be possible for every function they have booked this summer, particularly weddings.

There's been lots of calls to the library and the town council about using the rooms for meetings/events. They're being as accommodating as possible but unfortunately there's so much happening in there already every evening.

Can't imagine it'll be too much fun for all concerned.

Abi

Chinafoot wrote: »

Heard today that all the staff have been let go as the hotel won't be re-opened until September. Apparently it's getting a major re-vamp.

Again, could be bull.

Im convinced its you sending the stories around now

What Ive heard is the staff were let go temporarily. Some pony about them having to be re-interviewed. And they are going for a re-open by Oct-Nov, the story got worse since you sent it round

/takes pinch of salt.

The Hill Billy

Abigayle - I think that maybe you'd want to rethink the content of your post. Accusing another poster of spreading stories - without offering any shred of evidence - is bang out of order.

I don't know how much you use this forum, but if you were in any way familiar with Chinafoot, you would know that she has an unimpeachable reputation here.

Get a grip.

tbh

Hill Billy wrote: »

you would know tha she has an impeachable reputation here.

Get a grip.

unimpeachable surely. still, nice and subtle

The Hill Billy

tbh wrote: »

unimpeachable surely. still, nice and subtle

Oops. Fixed.

dubmick

Hill Billy, did you miss the in Abigayle's post. Some people get so wound up on boards.ie

The Hill Billy

dubmick wrote: »

Hill Billy, did you miss the in Abigayle's post. Some people get so wound up on boards.ie

If you're referring to some sort of smilie - I probably did. All I see is a red x where they probably appear. Shít. Didn't realise. Thanks Mick.

Abi

Hill Billy wrote: »

If you're referring to some sort of smilie - I probably did. All I see is a red x where they probably appear. Shít. Didn't realise. Thanks Mick.

I refer thee to posts 2, 5, 13. The use of smilies inidcates tone.

Fill in the blanks: S_rr_ A_ig_y_e.

You might want to enable your smilies so you can see what is going on before we have re-name you Fish fingers :pac: (<-- was a paccman)


On topic: I finally saw the hotel yesterday. I was given the impression it was nearly burnt to the ground

The Hill Billy

Abigayle wrote: »

I refer thee to posts 2, 5, 13. The use of smilies inidcates tone.

Fill in the blanks: Sorry Abigayle.

You might want to enable your smilies so you can see what is going on before we have re-name you Fish fingers :pac: (<-- was a paccman)


On topic: I finally saw the hotel yesterday. I was given the impression it was nearly burnt to the ground

My smilies are enabled. There's some damned image filtering on the office network that blanks them out though.

Chinafoot

Lads maybe we should all relax a bit on the speculation.

Anyway, this is a thread for the hotel and I think we should get back to that

100gSoma

was this post closed yesterday? Then certain posts removed and then re-opened?

The Hill Billy

Certainly looks like it. It was going off topic a bit.

100gSoma

ah right, I thought so Hill Billy. I get the feeling even if the "speculation" was in another thread it would have been removed. I think I remember now why I stopped posting on boards about a year ago. It went totally over the top on censorship and strict posting rules. you cannot mention a premises by name or your opinion could be interpreted as boards.ie and legal action slander etc etc...
argh... anyway to keep this on topic so its not removed, the hotel won't be back for a long time. 4 months. plus two of the main management staff have left. I think I can say that as its public news on another website.
P.s. Chinafoot, I know your just doing your job mate, my angst was with board policy not the mods who enforce it. Was a time that healthy speculation (or shall we say 'gossip') was the bread and butter of this board. lol :D

Moonbeam

If the staff were laid off then this confuses me..
(Another sad day for the Bracken Court Hotel. !!)
http://balbriggan.net/news.html

Also see -

Bracken Court Hotel Closed till September.
and
Balbriggan.net Exclusive.

Chinafoot

Moonbeam wrote: »

If the staff were laid off then this confuses me..
(Another sad day for the Bracken Court Hotel. !!)
http://balbriggan.net/news.html

Also see -

Bracken Court Hotel Closed till September.
and
Balbriggan.net Exclusive.

Well I'd say it's safe to assume that long-term employees such as this lady may have been assured of their position for when the hotel re-opens. 12 years is a long time.

For all we know she may have planned to leave anyway or maybe she didn't want to wait for the hotel to re-open and she found something else. *shrug*

Bluetonic

Hotel back open this week (Friday) featuring...

Brand new restaurant and head chef (called Laveer)
Enlarger foyer
Redesigned Bar

...none of which were damaged in the fire