Castlebar hotel closes after entering voluntary liquidation

ONE of Mayo's best-known establishments, The Welcome Inn Hotel in Castlebar, has entered voluntary liquidation.

A spokesperson for the hotel confirmed to The Connaught Telegraph that it closed its doors this morning (Thursday) with the loss of 20 full-time and 25 part-time jobs.

'It's a source of shock and deep regret to us,' the spokesperson added.

The news has come as a major blow to the people of the county town.

The hotel, run by the McHugh family since its foundation back in the 1960s, was a leading venue for weddings, dinner dances, discos and a full range of social functions as well as meetings and family events. 

It has been business as usual at the hotel last night when it hosted a function and a number of meetings.

The chairman of the Castlebar Municipal District, Councillor Blackie Gavin, said he was very sad for the McHugh family and the hotel staff.

He stated: 'This is devastating news for everybody concerned and it is a huge setback  to Castlebar. We all dropped into the Welcome Inn Hotel on a regular basis, be it for a meeting, function or whatever. It was so much part of Castlebar and it's hard to believe that it is closed.

'I hope something will happen over the coming weeks to ensure the hotel can reopen and the jobs saved. I personally know a number of staff who have worked there for over 30 years and it's a very sad day for them.

'Castlebar needs a hotel like the Welcome Inn at the heart of the town. There is no question about that.'