Shannon Oaks Hotel set for new lease of life
It is almost three years since a hotel in an east Galway town was destroyed by fire – and local businesses are still counting the cost of its continued closure.
However, it now seems that the site on which the Shannon Oaks Hotel in Portumna stands has been sold by auctioneers.
It is not known who the new owners are despite intense speculation around the town in recent days.
But Portumna Chamber of Commerce is hopeful that it will be retained as a hotel and reopened at some future point.
Paul Dillon is President of Portumna Chamber of Commerce and he told The Connacht Tribune that the town had suffered since it was burned down back in 2011.
“The amount of tourism business that has been lost to the town is very difficult to calculate but it is significant.
“From what we can gather, people who visit Portumna and everything it has to offer are now staying in the likes of Birr and Ballinasloe. This is not acceptable,” Mr. Dillon added.
It is understood that the burned out shell of the hotel along with the cottages attached to the property have now been sold.
The hotel was sold by DTZ auctioneers in Galway on behalf of Grant Thornton, the receivers. The new owners are not yet known.
It is also not known what is the intention of the new owners with regard to the future development of the extensive property.
The rumour mill has been on overdrive in Portumna in recent weeks with speculation that the hotel has been purchased by local business man Al Hayes Motors, but this was denied by Mr Hayes this week..
It is also rumoured that the Comer brothers from Glenamaddy have also purchased the property but this cannot be confirmed.
It is also speculated that a Portumna native living in America, who has done well, has also snapped up the hotel but this is just one of many other rumours.
There are some suggestions that the property on extensive grounds was sold in the region of €700,000.
Meanwhile, Paul Dillon of Portumna Chamber of Commerce says that the town needs the hotel to be reopened as a matter of urgency.
“It is suffering without it,” he said and added: “Portumna has it all except enough accommodation to house the amount of visitors that come our way”.