Burlington to close doors for final time

One of Dublin’s best known landmarks, the Burlington Hotel, will today close its doors for the last time.

The four-star facility, which first opened in 1972, was a favourite haunt of businesspeople, tourists and rugby supporters.

Last April, Jurys Doyle Hotel Group sold the 500-bed hotel to Co Clare developer Bernard McNamara for €288m.

Jurys said it was using the proceeds to concentrate on new acquisitions on the US east coast and Europe.

A total of 447 employees of the hotel were made redundant. The four-acre site is expected to be converted into offices and apartments.

The Burlington was most associated with international rugby weekends and the Dublin Horse Show.

Siptu said the closure of the Burlington, and the Berkeley Court Hotel and Jurys Hotel in the same area in recent months, was a major setback for the tourism industry,

Siptu general president Jack O’Connor also bemoaned the loss of skilled well-paid jobs in a key sector of the economy.

“There is no thought given to the consequences for ’Ireland of the Welcomes’, of driving down pay and conditions, as well as skills and standards in the sector of our economy which most directly engages with those visiting our shores as tourists and business travellers,” he said.