Limerick Ryan forced to close

The 181-bedroom Limerick Ryan hotel, sold by Irish hotel group Gresham less than six months ago, is to close next month with the loss of more than 90 jobs.

The hotel was bought by former Irish rugby international player Pat Whelan in June for €11m (£7.8m) through his company Budelli.

In the 11 months to the end of last December, the Limerick Ryan recorded a loss of €305,000 (£215,000) and the continued losses have forced the company to shut it down.

Budelli is understood to have applied for permission to redevelop the property into an apart-hotel.

The hotel was one of three Ryan hotels sold by Gresham in the summer for a total of é36m (£25m). The 168-bedroom Killarney Ryan hotel in County Kerry was sold to Hepton Developments for €13.8m (£9.8m), while Elite Catering bought the 96-bedroom Galway Ryan hotel for €10.9m (£7.8m).

The Limerick Ryan is scheduled to close on 5 December. Choice Hotels Ireland, which had won a two-year deal to manage the hotel, has had its contract terminated by "mutual consent".