This article is from page 4 of the 2013-01-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
SPECULATION is mounting over the future of one of the county’s bestknown hotels, the West County.
The Ennis hotel was listed for sale last July for between € 2.5 million to € 3 million.
Retail giant Tesco are thought to be interested in the site, which could see the area completely re-developed.
Tesco were put forward as the an- chor tenant for a proposed major retail development at Clare Road /Tobertascán.
Ennis Town Council has refused permission for the project put forward by Michael Lynch Ltd. That decision has been appealed to An Bord Pleannála.
Tesco did not respond to a request for a comment yesterday. A wellknown family-run hotel group in Leinster have also been linked with the West County, which could see substantial and much needed investment in the hotel. Staff at the West County will be eagerly awaiting the outcome of the sale.
Formerly the flagship hotel within the Lynch group of hotels, the West County was placed into receivership in February (2012).
It sits on a high-profile six-acre site on the southern approach road to Ennis town centre and its accommodation includes: 152 en-suite bedrooms; eight separate and interconnecting conference/ banqueting suites that can cater for up to 1,650 delegates; a modern leisure centre with a 20metre heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.
The leisure club includes a gym with more than 1,000 local members. The bar and lounge has a capacity for around 500 people. The site can accommodate 450 parking spaces.
CBRE, the firm handling the sale of the hotel, has said there had been a lot of interest in the site.