Proposal made to turn Castlebar’s Imperial Hotel into 44-bedroom hotel

A proposal to turn the historic Imperial Hotel in Castlebar into a 44-bedroom hotel is to be voted on by Mayo County Council.

Following a long-running attempt to identify a potential purchaser, Mayo County Council has proposed to sell the hotel and the adjoining Glenpark building for €700,000.

The interest party already operates two street-front hotels in Mayo; the Cill Aodáin Hotel in Kiltimagh and the Gateway Hotel in Swinford.

Phase 1 of the proposed development would involve the refurbishment of the hotel building as a 22-bedroom commercial hotel. The second phase would involve works on the adjoining Glenpark building, which currently houses the motor tax office, to create an extra 22-bedroom accomodation block. 

The council have attached a number of conditions for the proposed development These include that any refurbishment must take into account the historical significance of the hotel.

Built in 1785, the Imperial Hotel is the founding location of the Land League. In the 1960s, it hosted a public meeting which led to the foundation of Western Care. 

It was acquired by Mayo County Council for €800,000 in 2011 a number of years after it closed. It has since fallen into dilapidation due to damage from water ingress and a partially collapsed roof. 

The proposed redevelopment of the hotel will see extensive refurbishment of the interior of the building, which is listed as a protected structure in the current Mayo County Council county development plan. 

The developer must apply for planning permission within six months of acquiring the property. Mayo County Council will also retain the right to re-purchase the building within a specific period. 

In 2021, the building was earmarked as part of an €11 million Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) allocation for the development of an innovation hub. 

After much public debate, councillors from the Castlebar Municipal District voted for the council to request expressions of interest for a party to purchase the hotel. 

Mayo County Council will take a vote on Monday on whether or not to approve the sale of the hotel. 

Yet again, the matter proved divisive when it was discussed at the December meeting of Castlebar Municipal District Council, which was held in Balla Community Centre. 

Cllrs Ger Deere (Fine Gael), Al McDonnell (Fianna Fáil) and Donna Sheridan (Fine Gael) spoke in favour of the proposal while Cllr Blackie Gavin (Fianna Fáil), Cllr Michael Kilcoyne (Independent) and Cllr Harry Barrett (Independent) opposed the proposal. 

Cllr McDonnell, described it as ‘one of the most exciting proposals’ he had seen since being elected to the council in 1987.

“A 44-bedroom development, which will be operated, to my understanding, to the highest standards, when all other facilities will be available has to be welcomed,” he said. 

Responding to concerns about the hotel moving from public to private ownership, Cllr McDonnell said ‘the door was never opened’ since it was purchased by the council in 2011.

“I am quite convinced that these developers will respect the historical significance, as they should, and I would not support it unless I was assured,” Cllr McDonnell added. 

Cllr Gavin expressed concern that Castlebar would be deprived of a motor tax office and National Roads Design office if the proposal was approved. 

Catherine McConnell, Mayo County Council’s Director of Services for Planning, said that the motor tax service would be retained in Castlebar and that staff working in the Glenpark building would be informed of any developments.

Cllr Kilcoyne also expressed disquiet, saying that Mayo County Council was ‘selling off the family silver’. 

The Independent councillor said it was ‘shameful’ that the building was being sold for less than the council originally paid for it. The €700,000 figure, was arrived at following an independent valuation.

Cllr Barrett reiterated concerns about the current Castlebar Municipal District offices and said the Imperial Hotel should be refurbished as civic offices.

Under the terms of the URDF programme, local authorities may not use the funding to refurbish or develop their own offices. 

Cllr Deere said it was ‘shameful’ that the hotel had been left vacant for so long and spoke in favour of selling it to a developer.

The Fine Gael councillor said that the local authority could consider re-occupying the council-owned Marsh House - where Castlebar Town Council once held its meetings - if it is vacated by Castlebar Educate Together. 

“The town is crying out for a hotel,” added Cllr Deere. 

Cllr Donna Sheridan, Cathaoirelach of Castlebar Municipal District, said she had been ‘on the fence’ about the future of the Imperial Hotel but agreed that it should be sold to be developed as a commercial hotel.