The Central Hotel in Athlone

iverjohnston

Anyone remember this hotel, or know where it was located?
All replies welcome!

Saint_Mel

Are you sure its Athlone? There was a Central Hotel on Main Street in Tullamore, now its a Days Hotel

iverjohnston

Saint_Mel wrote: »

Are you sure its Athlone? There was a Central Hotel on Main Street in Tullamore, now its a Days Hotel

Definitely Athlone, Owner or Manager could have been a Mr Ankatell. Not so sure about that.

BoB_BoT

I can't remember if it was named the central hotel, but wasn't there a hotel years ago where the entrance to the Town Centre shopping centre is? It could be my imagination either :P

Mearings

The Central Hotel was in Custume Place where Danske Bank is now located.

iverjohnston

That's great information, thank you so much! Now to visit.

SilverScreen

BoB_BoT wrote: »

I can't remember if it was named the central hotel, but wasn't there a hotel years ago where the entrance to the Town Centre shopping centre is? It could be my imagination either :P

That was the Royal Hoey Hotel, was knocked to make way for the Town Centre.

BoB_BoT

SilverScreen wrote: »

That was the Royal Hoey Hotel, was knocked to make way for the Town Centre.

Good, at least it wasn't my imagination.

Zubeneschamali

Googling, I find:

The Old Post Office in Custume Place, Later The Central Hotel And Five Star Supermarketno. 4 Custume Place in The Early 20s This Was The Site of The Athlone Post Office. The Ground Floor Housed The Post Office And The Upper Storeys Housed Ramseys' Hotel, Which Opened on to Northgate Street. in The Early 30s The Post Office Was Transferred to More Spacious Premises in Barrack Street. The Ground Floor Was Taken Over by The Central Hotel co. (Misses Roden), Who Succeeded The Ramsey Hotel co. Alterations Followed And The New Establishment Opened up on to Custume Place. of The Four Hotels in Athlone at That Time, The Central Was The Only Non-Licensed One. The Misses Roden Built up a Fine Trade, And When They Retired The Nash Family Took Over. They in Turn Retired Andd Sold Out to The Five Star Supermarket in The Mid 60s. in The Mid 70s The Five Star Transferred to More Spacious Premises at The Shopping Centre in Irishtown And Sold Out to Northern Bank Ltd. The Entire Building Was Demolished, Northgate Street Widened And a New Bank Erected on The Old Site, The Fourth on The Leinster Side of The Town.(From Bridging The Gap by The Late Frank Egan)

iverjohnston

Zuben,many thanks for that info. Much appreciated.

coylemj

Photo of the building when it was the Post Office, assembled outside appears to be a group about to head off on a day trip.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150223543605344

The building partly visible on the left was the Provincial Bank, then the only bank on the Leinster side of the river. It was rebranded as a branch of AIB in the late 1960s and at this stage is the oldest bank in Athlone. Where the trees are in the photo there is now a single-storey extension to the bank.

http://goo.gl/maps/r6Ae3

There are very few photos of the old Post Office/Central Hotel, ironically because most shots of Custume Place were taken from right outside that building, facing east up Church St.