News
TWO NEW HOTELS FOR DUBLIN NORTH INNER CITY PLANNED Two new hotels planned for Dublin’s north inner city have been granted planning permission by Dublin City Council. They include the first entry by Northern Ireland hotel and entertainment group, Beannchor, into the market in the Republic for a 98-bed hotel on the site of the former Boland’s bakery off Capel Street. This is the second attempt by Beannchor, which owns the five-star Merchant Hotel in Belfast, to seek planning permission for a hotel on the site of the former bakery. Plans for a 62-bedroom hotel on the site were rejected by An Bord Pleanála in early 2020 on the basis it was not an adequate design given the opportunity to develop the site. The latest plans, which include an eightstorey building, could still face an appeal to An Bord Pleanálá. Dublin City Council has also approved plans for a 94-bedroom hotel by Vision Wave, a company owned by hotelier Brian McGettigan, on the site of a number of existing buildings between Capel Street and Parnell Street. The seven-storey development also provides for a whiskey lounge, wine cellar, spa and restaurant as well as a rooftop private lounge for residents.
JAMESON SALES UP 3% IN 2020 Irish Distillers has announced results for the first half of its financial year, showing that Jameson recorded volume growth in key markets including the UK (+12%), USA (+7%), Russia (+7%) and Ireland (+4%). Within the broader Jameson family, Jameson Black Barrel posted volume growth of 31% globally versus the same period last year, capturing the growing consumer trend towards more premium brands. Conor McQuaid, Chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers, said: “Jameson sold 4.75 million cases, which was its highest ever volumes in the first half of the year. This was aided by sales of over 2 million cases in the US in the first half of the year for the second year in a row but was also buoyed by growth in other key markets including the UK, Russia and Ireland.” He added that the Jameson RTD range is also up by 42% in value compared to the first half of the previous year due to growth in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada.
Midleton Distillery, Co Cork Credit: Cathal Noonan
ISSUE 1 2021 | HOTEL
004_HCR_FEB 2021_News_V3_REV.indd 11
CATERING REVIEW
11
23/02/2021 10:12
