Day trippers and those hoping for a weekend break by the sea received welcome news that  Bundoran was looking forward to welcoming them back. Coming together local business owners said they were thrilled that most would be able to reopen their doors as of Monday (29 June).

“The last few months have been unusual, unprecedented in these times. Something we never experienced before and something we never want to experience again. We’ve missed all of our friends, but our resilience has shone through and now we are getting back to normal. 

“Bundoran is getting ready and the shutters are being opened, doors unlocked, the kitchens are being prepped and now we are ready to welcome you all back to Bundoran’s famous hospitality and wonderful scenery and back to our fabulous activities and back to support local businesses. Bundoran is ready, we can’t wait to see you soon,” they said.

The Great Northern Hotel was one of the local businesses to reopen this week after three and a half months of lockdown. Speaking to the Herald on Monday Bundoran hotelier Brian McEniff said he was hopeful that Fermanagh and Tyrone visitors would be able to enjoy a seaside break this summer.

Speaking about reopening he said, “We reopened this morning and are operational thank God. We have some limitations and we won’t keep a full hotel at any stage as we abide by new regulations. 

“The Northern Ireland market has always been very good to Bundoran and we are hoping that this will continue.” 

The Brian McEniff hotel group also has hotels in Sligo, Westport and Dublin and as lockdown eases Mr McEniff remarked that people still remain cautious with uptake slow to begin with.

“It has been slow to start across the board, with Dublin slower due to the reduction in flights coming in. Corporate business has not ramped up yet and it will take time for this to resume. In Dongeal some hotels won’t open for another two weeks. It’s slow to start and numbers will be small as it will take a time for people to build up confidence, understandably.

“For the people that do come here we will make it as homely as we can given we are a family group.  We will be very careful how things are done now with the new restrictions. It is important that people buy into that too, keep the social distance and look out for each other.”