The Railway Hotel, Enniskillen RMGFH55
THE Railway Hotel and the adjoining Ritz Cinema site have been purchased by Kesh property developer/trader, David Mahon (59).
The sale price has not been disclosed but, in the June edition of the Herald publishing the joint a tentative collective price of £400,000 was stated.
Speaking to the Herald this week, Mr Mahon confessed that he did not know, at present, what he is going to do with the two properties.
“We are looking at the viability of carrying on the hotel business, so we haven’t ruled that out.”
He said he had been attracted to buy by the fact the two premises were ‘a large site in the town’.
He agreed that the sale was a sign of confidence in Enniskillen.
“Yes, we’re hoping that the town will start booming again and, at the moment, there are plenty of things going on.”
The sale was negotiated by Enniskillen-based estate agents, McGoverns Estate Agents, Ann Street.
Its principal, Seamus McGovern said he was pleased that the deal had gone through.
“We wish Mr Mahon well. It is quite a major sale, although in saying that, hotels have been lucky to me. For instance, we have sold The Westville and quite a few hotels in the south over the years, including a couple in Sligo recently.”
The Railway Hotel has been in existence for 130 years, while the cinema, opened in 1954, closed in 1992.
At the time of sale being advertised, in June this year, the hotel employed 15 full-time and part-time staff. It has 20 ensuite bedrooms, a bar, restaurant and function room.
And, as Mr McGovern told the Fermanagh Herald at the time: “The location obviously is excellent and you have the adjoining old Ritz cinema. It’s a landmark site and a well-known property. It’s a very prominent property and very close to the town centre.”
He subsequently reported heavy interest– both from those looking to develop the property, and from those within the hotel sector.
Until it closed its doors, the ‘Railway’ was jointly owned by two business partners, James Crozier and Owen McKenna.
A notice on the door explained that the two men had retired ‘for serious health issues’.
The partners had run the ‘Railway’ for the previous 16 years, having acquired it from Peter and Imelda Byrne who were its owners from 1976.
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