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Confirmed, Castletroy Park Closed

It has been confirmed this afternoon that the castletroy Park Hotel has shut its doors and ceased trading as of today.  Some 120 people have lost their jobs as a result.

UPDATE: Upwards of 40 couples have now become unsecured creditors of the hotel having paid in the region of €100,000 in deposits for weddings.

Staff were to be told on Friday the results of a rescue plan for the hotel, however the Limerick Leader is reporting that the hotel ceased trading today.

And now for the messy bit, the bit that seems to be confusing a lot of people.

The Fordmount Group owns both the Castletroy and Marriot Hotels.  The Castletroy Hotel is run by Castletroy Park Management Ltd.  and the Marriot is, or was run by Irrisistable Hotels Limited.  The two organisations are sister-companies.  Irrisistable Hotels surrendered the lease for the Marriot and it’s parent company, Fordmount, have taken over the running of the hotel for the next 30 days.  Castletroy Park Limited, it would seem, have chosen to close the Castletroy Park Hotel after 18 years of business

Election candidate for the Sinn Féin Party has called for the deposits paid by those with bookings, particularly wedding parties, to be refunded.  He also called for the workers to be given a fair redundancy package.

The Government task force which has been promised for Limerick must be established immediately. This task force must have a remit for all those who have recently lost their job or are facing loss of their employment in 2009. This extends far beyond those being let go by Dell. Thousands of construction and other workers have also recently lost their jobs. This task force must ensure that funding for retraining and enterprise development is extended to all Limerick workers affected by job losses, and not those just directly employed with Dell. The Government need to urgently We need to see a concerted effort by the various state agencies to help these workers find alternative employment.  We need to ensure that there are supports and structures put in place to help people who may now find themselves under severe financial hardship in terms of paying rent and making mortgage repayments.

While the Castletroy Hotel is in liquidation, Fordmount Limited is not, they have no excuse not to pay some sort of severance package.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 29th, 2009 at 4:33 pm and is filed under All. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • Pat
    Sorry
  • miss j
    Having travelled from Mayo on numerous occasions i was so sad for all the staff members of Castletroy. They were a lovely bunch of people and the hotel was so well ran. Is it true that the Irish Rugby team landed there on Friday only to find the hotel closed? Those strapping lads should have pused their way in and helped all those poor couples left stranded. The Castletroy was/is an excellent hotel-top class. I am just hoping that Dolores might think of buying it and help all those poor people. Go for it Dolores if you are out there!!!! Please.
  • Hoof
    @Pat, I'm not "Heff" !!!......

    Although if I was you'd all be welcome to the Bunny Farm.
  • apple
    @Alison, well obviously it was ridiculous since they went out of business.
  • Pat
    @ Hoof

    Thats what it is all about......a free and respectful exchange of viewpoints.
  • Heff
    @poof

    We'll just have to agree to disagree then.
  • Pat
    @hoof

    Would it not be better if Squid just added the politicians responses as they came in? This is the approach that RTE and other media outlets use.

    I get the impression from Squids answers that he does'nt contact the politicians firectly but rather waits for them to contact him. This is understandable given the fact that Squid is not being paid for this & probably has limited time available.

    I wouldn't see this as an example of Sinn Fein taking advantage but rather an example of other parties not making an effort.
  • law abider
    It has been forecast during the week that at least one hotel will close each week this year.
  • Heff
    Pat,

    1. Are you suggesting that Squid should not publish any politican’s comments until all other politicians contact him as well?

    No. I'm not suggesting that. But if you re-read the original piece, you must think its strange that only one politician has an opinion about a matter which is of huge importance. I have to believe Squid contacts all the politicians as he says he does. Perhaps he sends his questions by email on read receipt and delivery receipt. Perhaps he could email me proof that all politicians were asked for their opinion at the same time. It just seems to me that Sinn Fein are taking advantage of squid's self imposed desire for quick responses.

    2. How many politicans do you think should contact Squid before he publishes any of their comments?

    Ideally, at least 2. It makes it more interesting to see the different takes different politicians have. By only having 1 comment published, it gives the appearance of lazy journalism. The more responses published, the more you can discern which politicians have the capability of handling the cirsis we find ourselves in. Would you not agree?
  • Alison
    120 staff for a 120 room hotel is not ridiculous considering the prices they charged. It was all about level of service.

    I hope none of these people get sucked into working for the likes of Punches and The Two Mile. They'll find themselves in the same posisiton in about 6 months.
  • A friend of mine who was due to get married at the Castletroy Park has re booked at the Strand Hotel on the Ennis Road who are offering half bottle of wine with the meal as a means of offsetting the fact that she won't get her deposit back.
  • Pat
    @Heff

    Answer the questions I asked you earlier one by one please:

    1. Are you suggesting that Squid should not publish any politican’s comments until all other politicians contact him as well?

    2. How many politicans do you think should contact Squid before he publishes any of their comments?
  • Squid
    There are two which haven't been arrested.
  • law abider
    @ Squid
    "Quinlivan knows fully well that I would never vote for Sinn Fein until althose involved in the McCabe killing are brought to justice."

    I thought all those had people had served prison sentences. Who else was involved?
  • Squid
    Is this blog a mouthpiece for Sinn Fein?

    No.

    Why was the Sinn Fein candidate interviewed?

    He was not interviewed, the quote is from his statement on the story. He was the only politician to issue us with a statement on this matter.

    Were other politicians from other parties asked for a reaction?

    Every politician has the right to add us to their mailing list for statements. We have asked politicians on an ongoing basis if they wish to contribute for various reasons. Some do, some don't even answer us.

    Are you suggesting that Sinn Fein are the only party who wish to see people who have lost deposits reimbursed?

    It is not my place to say whether or not I am surprised at Sinn Fein's request. Sinn Fein are a left-wing party so they can be expected to come down on the side of the workers and customers rather than the businessmen.

    Now, if the fact that your favorite politician does not feature here upsets you, then feel free to contact them and ask why they ignore our mails. Quinlivan knows fully well that I would never vote for Sinn Fein until althose involved in the McCabe killing are brought to justice. While we disagree on this point, he seems to respect the fact that I am entitled to my view and does not exclude us from his mailing list because of our differences. He has even, on occasion, contributed in a non-political vein such as sending in photos of Thomond Park and the demolition of the Ballinanty Flats.
  • Heff
    Squid,

    Can you please answer my questions one by one?

    Many Thanks,

    Heff
  • law abider
    @ Roisín

    "Still, we’ll all, no doubt, be delighted for Celia Larkin that she had offloaded her Beauty Salon at the Castletroy Park Hotel last July, along with her other salon at the Marriot. Some people have all the luck!"

    Maybe I'm a sceptic but does anyone else find that "LUCK" strange? Who says the government didn't know about the downturn!

    I'd love to see all the couples owed deposits organise a march to The Castletroy Park Hotel with friends and family and occupy it (or remove goods to the value of what they are owed) until they get their money back. It would probably be illegal but having seen the goings on in this country and the way the rich and powerful get away with everything I don't care anymore. I think they would encourage the rest of the people onto the streets.

    The fear of the wrath of a nation has been known to spur governments into action in the past.
  • Converted Muck Savage
    Some people have all the inside knowledge.
  • apple
    As far as I am aware the Quality Inn in South Hill just rebranded like the rest of the chain to Maldron. Likewise with the Hilton/Strand, the same people own it and work in it, they just don't have the Hilton franchise anymore. I'd imagine that the the franchise was proving too costly especially with the downturn in the global economy, with less and less American tourists visiting Ireland.

    Regarding the Castletroy Park, there was 120 people working in a 120 rooms hotel, that sounds a bit daft. From what I hear their occupancy rate was very low. Saying that it was a lovely hotel, and I always enjoyed going there for weddings or a meal. I think retail centre, with a coffee shop and restaurant, opening next door could also have affected it's turnover.
  • pandybare
    @countrygirl - "You can get married nearly anywhere in Ireland these days ……..hope they get sorted but its not all about the venue right!"
    I think it's the loss of money in the deposit that would be concerning most people.
    We only have ourselves to blame. I should've sayed overnight a few times but instead I drunk-drove home.... just kidding
  • Roisin
    Still, we'll all, no doubt, be delighted for Celia Larkin that she had offloaded her Beauty Salon at the Castletroy Park Hotel last July, along with her other salon at the Marriot. Some people have all the luck!
  • Squid
    @colm

    There's one more potential case of crapola hitting the fan following the merger between Pfizer and Wyett. Also, there are one or two building societies with sizable bad debts, but because they are not listed on any stock exchanges they are slipping under the radar.
  • Pat
    @Heff

    Are you suggesting that Squid should not publish any politican's comments until all other politicians contact him as well?

    How many politicans do you think should contact Squid before he publishes their comments?

    Should he wait untill he hears from 2, 5, 10 politicians? You pick the number. How many politicans does squid need to hear from before it is ok with you to publish?

    Why don't you get onto your favourite politician and ask them to send a press release to the blogger.

    Squid is only too hapy to facilitate them if they get off their arses.
  • colm
    Sad to see the Castletroy Park go. It just surived the last downturn and was saved when other hotels in the city closed (Jurys, The George etc). Now that those hotels have re-opened along with a number of new ones and we are in a real downturn they couldn't surive.

    I'm afraid they won't be the last to close. There are too many hotels in Limerick. The fact that the Quality hotel in Southhill and the Hilton on the Ennis Road have already changed ownership is a sign that their parent companies saw demand dropping and jumped ship while they could. When Dell and their suppliers close down in Raheen later this year then the South Court will have to be in trouble (they already had to close sections of the hotel during the boom times).
  • Squid
    I've about a meg of e-mails in my sent folder to politicians of all parties which have gone unanswered. If they are too ignorant or stupid to respond to my requests for statements and answers to questions then that is their look out.

    If you want your favorite politician featured here convince them to respond to my messages.

    many of them dont because we can be less than reverential to them,
  • Heff
    "He also called for the workers to be given a fair redundancy package."

    Is there anyone campaigning for unfair redundancy packages? If not, why are you highlighting the fact that Sinn Fein are campaigning for this?
  • Heff
    "Election candidate for the Sinn Féin Party has called for the deposits paid by those with bookings, particularly wedding parties, to be refunded."

    Is this blog a mouthpiece for Sinn Fein? Why was the Sinn Fein candidate interviewed? Were other politicians from other parties asked for a reaction? Are you suggesting that Sinn Fein are the only party who wish to see people who have lost deposits reimbursed?
  • countrygirl
    You can get married nearly anywhere in Ireland these days ........hope they get sorted but its not all about the venue right!
  • Rhebogue Ranter
    Hopefully some booked with a Credit card. They may be covered by the CC company.
  • d56
    wonder if the staff will get the same support been offered by the goverment to the dell staff. i doubt it as itwont get them headlines
  • apple
    That's a real shame. My symapthy to any workers who have lost their jobs and couple who lost booking deposits. Small potatoes I know but what happens the Spa and Gym etc that runs out of the hotel are they all closing down?
  • Jack
    It is quite simple Limerick is too overpriced to attract the numbers of people required to fill these Hotels, I visited limerick from London over Christmas for a holiday and I have come to realise what a drastic situation the city and indeed the Country is now in. With Sterling and Euro close to Parity. I found I was paying more for food drink and taxis than I would in the West End of London!!!! For example

    Limerick 6 minute cab journey at night 10 euro
    Limerick 2 burgers 2 fries 2 shakes (from well known late night sit down burger bar in O’Connell St) 43 Euros!!! For gods sake this is only Fast food
    1 pint of beer almost 5 Euro

    To compare in central London 6 minute mini cab journey would be approx £5.00
    1 pint of beer £3.80 to £4.00
    Kebab and chips £5.00

    I know people might be proud of Limerick City but there is no justification in the fact that a night in Limerick costs a lot more than Central London
    Ireland is too dependable on Sterling and with prices like this being charged, the tourist industry will simply implode if these prices continue. As for Limerick being competitive as a base for manufacturing, I think those days are possible over, due to the huge wages that people demand to live in the overpriced town, the Dell saga says it all really.........
  • hazel
    an absolute discrase that these bastards are let get away with it
    the customeres should come first
    why cant willie odea and all his cronies interviene and look after the people whos money this hotel has
  • Hoof
    @JR. They'll be last in line and lucky to get a few cents on the euro.

    Taxman first, then a scramble by various creditors/unions/suppliers for the rest of the pile. Individuals who paid deposits will have a fight on their hands to recoup their money.
  • Johnny Rotten
    Thank you Paddy for that news. I heard that couples who have paid deposits for their weddings will not get their deposit money back (the misfortunes) Does anyone have any news on this subject? Johnny.
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