‘Jobs secure’ as group takes on hotel
The Dalata Hotel Group, which has taken over the running of the 80-bed three-star Midleton Park Hotel in East Cork, moved last night to reassure people there will be no job losses and that all bookings will be honoured.
Dalata’s chief executive, Pat McCann, also said he is confident they will be able to grow the hotel’s business now that it is part of the country’s biggest hotel group.
Dalata Hotel Group operates 26 hotels in Ireland and the UK, with 4,600 rooms and 2,500 employees.
“It is business as usual as the Midleton Park Hotel which will continue to trade, with the existing team, as the Midleton Park Hotel,” Mr McCann said.
“We have three or four people on site but that’s really about installing our own systems and putting some new structures in place.
“At some point in the future, the property will be sold but we plan to build the franchise between now and then.
“It is still too early in the process to say what, if any changes they will make,” he said.
But the Midleton Park Hotel will benefit from being part of the Dalata group, including having access to its booking system, improved buying power, and better margins.
The circumstances around the appointment of the receiver were not clear last night.
The hotel was owned by Kerry hotelier Tom McCarthy and Tom Kelly, who also owned the Kingsley Hotel in Cork.
The Kingsley Hotel has been closed since it was severely damaged in the Nov 2009 flood which devastated Cork City.
Mr McCarthy declined to comment last night.
But Mr McCann said Dalata took over the running of the Midleton Park Hotel last Wednesday.
Dalata, which owns the Maldron Hotels brand, has taken over the running of 15 hotels — including the 60-bed Shamrock Lodge in Athlone and the 774-bed City West Hotel in Dublin — in such circumstances.
“Thankfully, all properties we have in our care now are trading very well. None require any support,” Mr McCann said.
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