Empty hotels in Galway

Dr McManus

I would like to start a thread on the empty hotels in Galway.
They seem to be on the increase with the Clayton Hotel having just gone into receivership.
The Waterfront, Burren Mount, and Sacre Coeure, are more I can think of that are no longer in use.

baldshin

What's the purpose of the thread though? ie For ideas on other uses or something?
Corrib Great Southern has been empty for some time too.

Dr McManus

Yes, my suggestion is that these hotels could be put to better use rather than lying empty.
Maybe they could be turned into homeless hostels, or council housing?

baldbear

The Great Southern is an eyesore alright. Is it not going to be used for refugees?

Jaysus I remember years ago playing around the Sacre Coure, mighty craic around WC 1990! They were the days. And going up to the slot machines in Salthill trying to rattle a few pennys out of the machines.:)

Dr McManus

baldshin wrote: »

What's the purpose of the thread though? ie For ideas on other uses or something?
Corrib Great Southern has been empty for some time too.

The Corrib Great Southern would make ideal student accommodation for GMIT.

baldshin

It would be perfect for gmit alright. Wonder who owns it now? Surely wouldn't cost a huge amount to make the necessary changes, things like kitchens, common rooms etc. And they could charge a fortune in rent.

Gerry Barrett owns the Corrib Great Southern. There were rumours last year/a year ago that GMIT were going to purchase the hotel and run it as a teaching hotel i.e. the students would run it and the guests would get reduced rates for staying there. This would then mean that students wouldn't have to look outside the country to do their placement. Unfortunately I don't think the plan went anywhere.

Traochta

http://www.galwaynews.ie/15824-former-galway-hotel-may-be-used-house-students

chuckliddell

The Clayton Hotel is far from empty, its possibly one of the busiest hotels in the city, the reason it went into receivership is because of the owners other company going bust and owing millions. you would be a mad man to close it down

CliffHuxtabel

Dr McManus wrote: »

I would like to start a thread on the empty hotels in Galway.
They seem to be on the increase with the Clayton Hotel having just gone into receivership.
The Waterfront, Burren Mount, and Sacre Coeure, are more I can think of that are no longer in use.

This has the makings of a good coffee table book

Seriously though nothing more Ghost Town-like than those abandoned hotels

soundbyte

The Warwick.

Also, do former hotels count? Lisbrook House off the Headford Road (Ibis) and The Eglinton in Salthill, both used to house asylum seekers.

Hotels, by their very nature, are just not suited to anything other than short-term stays. No facilities for cooking, washing etc.

The Waterfront is an exception in this case, as it was built as an apart-hotel.

dolphin city

how could you turn a hotel into council housing - you would have to knock it to the ground and rebuild and the council is broke - they have no more money for council housing. That Idea would not work at all.

kippy

chuckliddell wrote: »

The Clayton Hotel is far from empty, its possibly one of the busiest hotels in the city, the reason it went into receivership is because of the owners other company going bust and owing millions. you would be a mad man to close it down

Jaysus, I would hardly say it is one of the busiest in the city..........one half of the hotel is closed almost all year round.


I could never fathom why the Clayton was built in the first place. I mean its so awkward to get into town from it, has nothing like a country estate feel (which is usually the only reason one would stay in a premises that far from the city centre)

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Can anyone tell me wtf is the story with Bailey Point? Nice new, modern building just sitting on the sea-side. I thought it was supposed to be a cinema/hotel/apartments? Now I have stopped noticing it, even with its huge size. It just seems like the biggest waste of money in Galway.

Oh Baileys Point was cursed from the very beginning. If I remember correctly it took something like 5 years to finish building it, with the contractors going bust or something?

Xiney

kippy wrote: »

Jaysus, I would hardly say it is one of the busiest in the city..........one half of the hotel is closed almost all year round.


I could never fathom why the Clayton was built in the first place. I mean its so awkward to get into town from it, has nothing like a country estate feel (which is usually the only reason one would stay in a premises that far from the city centre)

It's near the racecourse and the motorway.

Galwayps

I would love to see the Clybaun being partially taken over for a community centre type iniative. The Hotel hotal has gone into receivership/liquidation a number of times now so I am not so sure it will ever be viable.

kippy

Xiney wrote: »

It's near the racecourse and the motorway.

The racecourse is a one week a year event.
I dont get the relevance of being near the start/end of a motorway for hotel business when there are as keenly priced hotels in the city centre with easier access to amenaties.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Deleted User wrote: »

Oh Baileys Point was cursed from the very beginning. If I remember correctly it took something like 5 years to finish building it, with the contractors going bust or something?

Yes, but its finished now, surely it wouldn't cost that much more to get it up and running. And I'd say it would be very profitable too.

dolphin city

THFC wrote: »

Can anyone tell me wtf is the story with Bailey Point? Nice new, modern building just sitting on the sea-side. I thought it was supposed to be a cinema/hotel/apartments? Now I have stopped noticing it, even with its huge size. It just seems like the biggest waste of money in Galway.

i think thats an eyesore of a building. there was supposed to be all those things in it, but it all fell apart. I'ts horrible. should never have gotten planning permission.

Dali art

kippy wrote: »

The racecourse is a one week a year event.
I dont get the relevance of being near the start/end of a motorway for hotel business when there are as keenly priced hotels in the city centre with easier access to amenaties.

You go all around the world and you'll see hotels built next to motorways. So i don't think they are all wrong. They are hoping to pick up on the business traveller. I've often stayed in hotels next to motorways for sheer convenience

Xiney

kippy wrote: »

The racecourse is a one week a year event.
I dont get the relevance of being near the start/end of a motorway for hotel business when there are as keenly priced hotels in the city centre with easier access to amenaties.

depending on what someone is in town for, the clayton may be a good choice.

for example, if it's professional travel, most of Galway's industries are located in the east side of the city.

kippy

Xiney wrote: »

depending on what someone is in town for, the clayton may be a good choice.

for example, if it's professional travel, most of Galway's industries are located in the east side of the city.

That's a fair point, as is part of the point about the motorway (and the airport when you think of it like that).

However I go past the hotel daily. One section of the hotel is entirely closed most of the year. The hotel isn't exactly "hopping" most of the week either.

It would be interesting to see the books for the hotel business (I know someone mentioned the issue were with the holding company loosing money and not the hotel itself, however I would be very skeptical about this)

kraggy

Dr McManus wrote: »

I would like to start a thread on the empty hotels in Galway.
They seem to be on the increase with the Clayton Hotel having just gone into receivership.
The Waterfront, Burren Mount, and Sacre Coeure, are more I can think of that are no longer in use.

Be careful with what you say about a business. The way you posted, you implied that the Clayton is closed for business.

It's not. And there are many people working there whose futures are in the balance.

Saying the place is closed may detract business from it.

Mrs OBumble

Xiney wrote: »

depending on what someone is in town for, the clayton may be a good choice.

for example, if it's professional travel, most of Galway's industries are located in the east side of the city.

+1

I was busy recommending it to someone for just that purpose yesterday. AFAIK, it's the only realistic choice for business travellers coming to any of the five industrial estates off Parkmore Rd (which the council have recently officially names, or at least given official street signs to).

soundbyte

THFC wrote: »

Can anyone tell me wtf is the story with Bailey Point? Nice new, modern building just sitting on the sea-side. I thought it was supposed to be a cinema/hotel/apartments? Now I have stopped noticing it, even with its huge size. It just seems like the biggest waste of money in Galway.

The original developer Brian Cunningham is still involved in High and Supreme Court actions against Bernard Duffy as the buyer, KPMG as receivers and First Active as the bank who appointed the receiver.

80% of the apartments are sold, the rest held by Bernard Duffy.

The commercial units cannot be finished out because of the legal actions, although Duffy said about a month or two ago in the City Tribune that there was still interest in running the cinema and pub/restaurant.

Pat Concannon (Mayo Movie World) was interested in the cinema and John Grealish(Cuba) in the bar.

There's a few months work involved in finishing the units out, but how long before they can do that is anyone's guess because of the cases.

inisboffin

Galwayps wrote: »

I would love to see the Clybaun being partially taken over for a community centre type iniative. The Hotel hotal has gone into receivership/liquidation a number of times now so I am not so sure it will ever be viable.

I thought they are doing relatively well? There are lots of conferences, weddings etc held there, with the guests staying too. The bar is busy, and people who use the Gym use the bar facilities too. Maybe busy doesn't mean it's not in trouble, but a lot of people recommend it for guests.

dolphin city

having eaten in the Clybaun on two separate occasions I can understand why they are in trouble. the first time we thought they were just having a bad day. However the second time my OH ordered steak - he was given two massive steaks that would take a week to get through. When he questioned it he was told he may as well have them as nobody else was coming through the doors - and it was either serve them or dump them. After tasting them, we came to the conclusion that they should have been dumped. The bar always seems very cold and impersonal. Its okay for budget accommodatin but wouldn't be recommending it to anyone as a nice place to stay, unless they have drastically changed and overhauled the place recently.

tribesman78

It was on the local news a couple of months ago that Gerry Barret was giving the corrib hotel to the fire brigade for training purposes while it is lying idle.

dolphin city

is that not just a way of burning the place down, without being held accountable??

inisboffin

dolphin city wrote: »

having eaten in the Clybaun on two separate occasions I can understand why they are in trouble. the first time we thought they were just having a bad day. However the second time my OH ordered steak - he was given two massive steaks that would take a week to get through. When he questioned it he was told he may as well have them as nobody else was coming through the doors - and it was either serve them or dump them. After tasting them, we came to the conclusion that they should have been dumped. The bar always seems very cold and impersonal. Its okay for budget accommodatin but wouldn't be recommending it to anyone as a nice place to stay, unless they have drastically changed and overhauled the place recently.

Not sure when the last time is that you were in? I know they did do the bar up a while ago - not sure how long though? It wouldn't be my favourite dining experience, I have had mixed ones there, but some have been fine.
The bar was grand imo, so it may have been done up since you were last there? Hotel-bar ish, but no different to the ones in town. It has been busy the last three times I was there, with I'd say 2/3 eating and 1/3 just drinking. I find it slightly more upscale than budget, but at budget prices - their gym is lovely, with outdoor tub as well.

dolphin city

yes I'm member of their gym (as far as I know it is NRG Gym with a branch on the East Side as well and not officially related to the hotel but I could be wrong) and find nothing wrong with their gym/swimming activities - although I don't use their jacuzzi's either indoor/outdoor - not a fan in general of jazuzzis - feel like they are soup bowsl with "everything floating around in them" :o - but the hotel just always feels wrong for me.

As someone mentioned it would be fab as some sort of community centre but not to be sounding negative (again :D) as the council are broke unless some private person does it, I don't think this would be an option

hondasam

kippy wrote: »

The racecourse is a one week a year event.
I dont get the relevance of being near the start/end of a motorway for hotel business when there are as keenly priced hotels in the city centre with easier access to amenaties.

It's only a short taxi ride to town, parking would be one reason I would choose a hotel, some hotels in town have no parking. It depends on the age of the guests where the stay, younger people might prefer city center for the clubs and older people would go for quiter place. If you are driving to a strange city it's handy if the hotel is near the motorway, less time looking for it.

bildo

I think they should move a bunch of dirty, smelly squatters in with a huge soundsystem and have raves there every weekend.

Better than leaving em to rot.

Dr McManus

kraggy wrote: »

Be careful with what you say about a business. The way you posted, you implied that the Clayton is closed for business.

It's not. And there are many people working there whose futures are in the balance.

Saying the place is closed may detract business from it.

It was announced on Galway Bay FM that the Clayyton Hotel had gone into receivership.
When a hotel goes into receivership they close. [ModEdit]Fact. Falsehood.[/ModEdit]
Announcing it on this forum after it was publicised on Galway Bay FM is not going to be detrimental. Fact.
The Clayton Hotel is already in receivership. Fact.
The employees of the Clayton Hotel are not in the balance; the hotel is in receivership,[ModEdit] therefore they will lose their jobs. Fact.[/ModEdit]

Dr McManus

bildo wrote: »

I think they should move a bunch of dirty, smelly squatters in with a huge soundsystem and have raves there every weekend.

Better than leaving em to rot.

I couldn't agree more.

hondasam

Dr McManus wrote: »

It was announced on Galway Bay FM that the Clayyton Hotel had gone into receivership.
When a hotel goes into receivership they close. Fact.
Announcing it on this forum after it was publicised on Galway Bay FM is not going to be detrimental. Fact.
The Clayton Hotel is already in receivership. Fact.
The employees of the Clayton Hotel are not in the balance; the hotel is in receivership, therefore they will lose their jobs. Fact.

on the same radio at the same time it also said all 120 jobs were safe.

http://www.sbpost.ie/news/ireland/luxury-galway-hotel-in-receivership-52587.html

Curious Geroge

soundbyte wrote: »

TAlso, do former hotels count? Lisbrook House off the Headford Road (Ibis) and The Eglinton in Salthill, both used to house asylum seekers.

Is'nt the Ibis owned by Motorpark and rented to house asylum seekers. Probably no hotel in town making more profit than them.

soundbyte

Dr McManus wrote: »

It was announced on Galway Bay FM that the Clayyton Hotel had gone into receivership.

Correct

Dr McManus wrote: »

When a hotel goes into receivership they close. Fact.

You're talking through your hole if you'll pardon my French. That is rarely the case.

Dr McManus wrote: »

Announcing it on this forum after it was publicised on Galway Bay FM is not going to be detrimental. Fact.

It is if you incorrectly jump to the conclusion that the hotel is closed, which it isn't. It didn't even close for a minute. The receiver is running it with the existing manager.

Posting disinformation helps nobody, not least the staff. If somebody googles the Clayton (a potential customer), they may come across this thread and read the hotels is closed. IT ISN'T.

Dr McManus wrote: »

The Clayton Hotel is already in receivership. Fact.

Correct.

Dr McManus wrote: »

The employees of the Clayton Hotel are not in the balance; the hotel is in receivership, therefore they will lose their jobs. Fact.

No, the jobs are safe for the time being. Of course, there may be some paring back on staff, but the hotel will be run as a going concern.

PS Is there an 'ignore poster' option anywhere, can somebody tell me, because Dr McQuestions is going to get me banned if I continue and I have a clean slate on boards.

Edit: It's ok, found the ignore option.

Xiney

Dr McManus wrote: »

When a hotel goes into receivership they close. Fact.

Apparently reading Latin at Oxford does not mean someone knows everything. (fact!)

Dempo1

chuckliddell wrote: »

The Clayton Hotel is far from empty, its possibly one of the busiest hotels in the city, the reason it went into receivership is because of the owners other company going bust and owing millions. you would be a mad man to close it down

Sorry to disagree, this along with 100's of hotels in the country have been operating at a substantial loss for quite some time, rates alone barely covered overheads and I suspect suppliers had no option to seek the appointment of receivers. In some cases Hotels have not being paying suppliers for 6 months or more. Yes, the hotel is part of a larger group but its own performance was not helping. This hotel has not been the first Ghost hotel to go into receivership and with the advent of winter, watch this space now that the summer trading period is over. A lot of hotels continued to trade in the naive assumption tourism numbers would be good this year despite the warnings as far back as last year.

soundbyte

Dempo1 wrote: »

Sorry to disagree, this along with 100's of hotels in the country have been operating at a substantial loss for quite some time, rates alone barely covered overheads and I suspect suppliers had no option to seek the appointment of receivers. In some cases Hotels have not being paying suppliers for 6 months or more. Yes, the hotel is part of a larger group but its own performance was not helping. This hotel has not been the first Ghost hotel to go into receivership and with the advent of winter, watch this space now that the summer trading period is over. A lot of hotels continued to trade in the naive assumption tourism numbers would be good this year despite the warnings as far back as last year.

The receiver was appointed because Ulster Bank had to protect their position when Connolly's development company went into liquidation..

It is NOT part of a chain. However, its management (Dalata Management Services, under a contract for another couple of years with Connolly) also provides management services to other hotel groups.

As I've heard, they had 90% and 94% occupancy rates in recent months. That's effectively a full house in the business.

See here:
http://www.galwaynews.ie/15775-jobs-are-secure-four-star-hotel-goes-receivership

Head The Wall

Dr McManus wrote: »

It was announced on Galway Bay FM that the Clayyton Hotel had gone into receivership.
When a hotel goes into receivership they close. Fact.
Announcing it on this forum after it was publicised on Galway Bay FM is not going to be detrimental. Fact.
The Clayton Hotel is already in receivership. Fact.
The employees of the Clayton Hotel are not in the balance; the hotel is in receivership, therefore they will lose their jobs. Fact.

You couldn't be further from the truth, from the CRO website

Receivership

A company can be placed into Receivership also. When the receivership is complete, the status of the company returns to Normal, unless the company has already been placed in Liquidation. A receiver is usually appointed over a registered charge or by court order in order to take receipt of an asset to satisfy the monies due to the creditor of the company.

There's a list as long as my arm of premises that have gone into receivership and are still trading, the legal entity that was running the premises may be gone but that doesn't mean the trading company can't be replaced.

GPO, Citywest hotel, Heritage Hotel, Whites Hotel etc

biko

Ok, McManus is wrong.
Until things changes we will go with what the hotel has said themselves: "A statement says that the hotel continues to trade as normal and that all of the hotel’s 130 full and part-time staff will continue to be employed".
http://www.galwaynews.ie/15748-troubled-clayton-hotel-goes-receivership

Can we get back to discussing actual empty hotels please.

Dr McManus

Xiney wrote: »

Apparently reading Latin at Oxford does not mean someone knows everything. (fact!)

Yes, I read Latin at Oxford.
I do not claim to be omniscient.
However I have; built, bought, and sold businesses including hotels.
I my experience hotels which are in receivership close.
They are only run as a going concern by the receiver until the hotel is closed and sold; in order to liquidate the capital which is tied up in them.
The Clayton Hotel may well continue to trade while in receivership, however this is only temporary; and no indication of its viability.
The fact is that it will close. The employees will lose their jobs. Then the receiver will market the hotel. If no buyer is found it will remain closed.
Look around and you will see that this is nothing new. Hotels have been closing since the Celtic Tiger boom ended.
The hotels go into receivership, then close. Fact.

Dr McManus

biko wrote: »

Ok, McManus is wrong.
Until things changes we will go with what the hotel has said themselves: "A statement says that the hotel continues to trade as normal and that all of the hotel’s 130 full and part-time staff will continue to be employed".
http://www.galwaynews.ie/15748-troubled-clayton-hotel-goes-receivership

Can we get back to discussing actual empty hotels please.

I am not wrong.
I am very close to the Clayton Hotels current developments.
I will say this; do not believe everything you; hear, see, in the media.
We all know that the media get their facts wrong, sometimes its deliberate as vested interests control what they report.
To clarify what is happening here; the receivers wish to portray the Clayton Hotel as a viable going concern so they can close and market it at a higher value. Why would a receiver wish to keep employing staff? It is just marketing. The hotel is the asset to the receiver, not its staff. They are dispensable, and will be when the hotel is closed and sold.
You will see; you heard it here first. The Clayton Hotel will close. The staff will lose their jobs. This is not speculation, this is fact.
It is common practice for developers and receivers to manipulate local media to their end. Inevitably there will always be gullible listeners, and readers, who believe everything they hear and see in the news.

hondasam

Dr McManus wrote: »

I am not wrong.
I am very close to the Clayton Hotels current developments.
I will say this; do not believe everything you; hear, see, in the media.
We all know that the media get their facts wrong, sometimes its deliberate as vested interests control what they report.
To clarify what is happening here; the receivers wish to portray the Clayton Hotel as a viable going concern so they can close and market it at a higher value. Why would a receiver wish to keep employing staff? It is just marketing. The hotel is the asset to the receiver, not its staff. They are dispensable, and will be when the hotel is closed and sold.
You will see; you heard it here first. The Clayton Hotel will close. The staff will lose their jobs. This is not speculation, this is fact.
It is common practice for developers and receivers to manipulate local media to their end. Inevitably there will always be gullible listeners, and readers, who believe everything they hear and see in the news.

in your experience are you talking months or years before this happens?

chuckliddell

kippy wrote: »

Jaysus, I would hardly say it is one of the busiest in the city..........one half of the hotel is closed almost all year round.


you'll find its not

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Dr McManus wrote: »

It was announced on Galway Bay FM that the Clayyton Hotel had gone into receivership.
When a hotel goes into receivership they close. Fact.
Announcing it on this forum after it was publicised on Galway Bay FM is not going to be detrimental. Fact.
The Clayton Hotel is already in receivership. Fact.
The employees of the Clayton Hotel are not in the balance; the hotel is in receivership, therefore they will lose their jobs. Fact.

Rafael Benitez is that you??:pac:

chuckliddell

your delusional Dr McManus, cop yourself on

Dr McManus

hondasam wrote: »

in your experience are you talking months or years before this happens?

That depends on a number of factors.
Some hotels are sold by receivers as a going concern with no name change, and a full quota of staff. However in practice the fact that the hotel is in receivership by definition means as it is; it is not economically viable without change. Therefore the receiver sells the hotel, often by auction to the highest bidder. Inevitably name and staff changes occur. It can take weeks, it can also take months, or even years to find a buyer. If an appointed receiver believes that by keeping a hotel trading it makes it look more attractive to prospective buyers; it will continue to do so, even at a loss. This is in order to facilitate a quicker liquidation of capital tied up in assets. Generally speaking a closed hotel sells quicker than an occupied (trading) hotel. The main reason for this is that developers can go straight in after completing on contracts. If the hotel is still trading it delays this; and makes it less likely for planners to approve developers plans. I have seen hotels close and reopen with the same trading name, and it be a fluid transaction. The hotel name changes; but little or nothing else. Therefore the public (and media) perception is maintained that the hotel never ceased to trade; therefore never closed. What some people are missing here is that the Clayton Hotel may close and sell, changing hands without being empty and boarded up during the process. The business closes (and reopens under new management). Physically the hotel itself may stay open. However staff will change; this usually means employees of the business losing their jobs. One of the usual changes when a business is acquired is to start the new business with new staff. Therefore making the business more viable. Again this can take weeks or months to happen. With the current property collapse the Clayton Hotel will be quick to close. However it may take some time to find a suitable buyer to liquidate the assets; therefore it may remain closed for some time.