Knock hotel undergoing redevelopment to accommodate Ukrainian refugees

LOCAL election candidate Paul Lawless has called on Mayo politicians to attend a gathering outside the Belmont Hotel in Knock, which is currently undergoing refurbishment as accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. 

In recent weeks, clearance works have recently taken place at the 65-bedroom hotel, which closed in 2010.

In a leaked document seen by the Mayo News, sent by Tom Gilligan, Mayo County Council's Director of Services for Housing, to Mr Bobby Carter, said he was ‘very supportive’ of the building being repurposed as ‘refugee accommodation’ for ‘a minimum of two years’. 

In the letter, dated July 13, 2023, Mr Gilligan thanked Mr Carter for discussing ‘on many occasions, your vision and plan to bring The Belmont Hotel back into use’. 

“The bringing back of this hotel will be of enormous benefit to Mayo’s economy, especially the local community of Knock. With the ongoing war in Europe, we have witnessed thousands of refugees having to seek safety and shelter within our County. Our wonderful communities in Mayo, throughout this humanitarian crisis have provided a duty of care to people to flee for their lives. I greatly appreciate all their efforts and yours and the revitalising of the hotel will provide a significant shot in the arm for the local area.”

Mr Gilligan concluded: “Given the urgent need, I am very supportive of your plan, that the hotel, once fully refurbished, will provide much-needed refugee accommodation for a minimum of two years and thereafter revert back to the tourism and hospitality sector.”

Speaking to The Mayo News today, Mr Gilligan said that his correspondence with Mr Carter was in relation to the building being used to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine. 

Ukrainian refugees seeking shelter in Ireland can now only avail of state-provided accommodation for 90 days before having to find their own arrangements. 

Mr Gilligan said that works had commenced at The Belmont Hotel and would take place in two phases.

The property, which was listed for sale, is said to have fallen into ‘substantial disrepair’ and will ‘require total refurbishment’.

The hotel was previously known as the Arena and boasted a large ballroom for functions.

_{A photo of the interior of the Belmont Hotel in Knock (Pic: Gordon Hughes)}

The hotel was previously known as the Arena and boasted a large ballroom for functions. 

A public meeting has been organised at the hotel at 8pm this evening (Tuesday May 28).

The Department of Integration has not yet responded to questions from The Mayo News regarding the use of the hotel. 

Mr Lawless, who is standing in the upcoming local elections in the Claremorris Electoral Area, said existing planning laws were preventing engagement with communities. 

He also claimed that sitting councillors knew about the proposed refurbishment of the hotel but failed to inform the public. 

He said it was “disappointing to learn that all Mayo County Councillors have known about the plans for the hotel for almost a year and yet none of the elected representatives brought this information into the public domain.”

Two county councillors contacted by The Mayo News said they were unaware of any plans to refurbish the hotel as refugee accommodation. 

Alma Gallagher, a Fine Gael local election candidate for the Claremorris Electoral Area called for more consultation with the community. 

“The vacuum of dialogue creates uncertainty,” she said, citing the protests which started after JJ Gannon’s Hotel in Ballinrobe over the proposed housing of 50 male International Protection Applicants. 

“We need to learn from other situations like Ballinrobe, we need to learn from those situations and we need some clarity. Once we have some clarity and there’s some dialogue I think that would create certainty within the village.”