Ailing Lough Erne golf resort to be sold

ADMINISTRATORS HAVE been appointed to the luxury Lough Erne five-star hotel and golf resort in Fermanagh which boasts Rory McIlroy…

ADMINISTRATORS HAVE been appointed to the luxury Lough Erne five-star hotel and golf resort in Fermanagh which boasts Rory McIlroy as its touring professional.

KPMG confirmed John Hansen and Stuart Irwin from the firm have been appointed joint administrators to Castle Hume Leisure Limited which owns the resort.

The Lough Erne resort was developed by the Fermanagh-born but mainly Dublin-based, self-made businessman Jim Treacy who is involved in the supermarket trade.

He initially bought Castle Hume Golf Club in Fermanagh and subsequently spent 10 years and invested nearly £30 million to develop the five-star resort.

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Six-time Major winner Nick Faldo designed one of its two championship golf courses.

The resort, which opened in 2007, employs around 120 people but recruits up to 100 seasonal staff every summer.

The joint administrators said it was their intention that Lough Erne will “continue trading”.

John Hansen of KPMG said it would be business as usual at the resort which would “honour bookings” and would be open for weddings and all other bookings.

“The joint administrators will seek to find a new owner however, in the meantime it is our intention to keep the business open and indeed drive the business forward at every opportunity,” Mr Hansen added.

He said because the administration process was in its early stages all of the workforce were currently retained but this would be kept under review. Mr Hansen said it is the administrators’ intention to sell the resort as a going concern.

Francess McDonnell

Francess McDonnell

Francess McDonnell is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in business