Clancys may become aparthotel
The long-established Clancys bar stretches to over 12,000 sq ft and has frontage to two city streets, Princes Street and Marlboro Street, in the section between the South Mall, and Oliver Plunkett Street: it’s for sale at a guide of €2.25 million, via Behan Irwin Gosling, with Barry Auctioneers.
It ceased trading a year ago, having been leased out to operators by owner Colin Ross, who had bought it in 1998, for the equivalent of €3m.
And, there’s almost an irony if it should be part-redeveloped developed for guest/aparthotel use, given that it was sold in ‘98 by previous owner Dan O’Sullivan after generations in O’Sullivan ownership, to invest in developing the upmarket Maryborough House Hotel in suburban Douglas.
The O’Sullivan family had also owned the Rendezvous for a period and, coincidentally, the Rendezvous is also currently back up for sale.
Clancys owner Colin Ross has had positive feedback from city planers to redevelop upper floors of the extensive, dual aspect building, for up to 26 serviced guest apartments/hotel rooms in the burgeoning aparthotel concept, says BIG agent Cearbhall Behan.
Mr Ross says there are many successful aparthotel examples in London, Galway and in Dublin, such as Staycity.
Given a continuing rise in hotel occupancy levels in Cork city, the proposed sale (or joint venture possibility) of Clancys “has raised considerable interest from hospitality operators with accommodation experience,” Mr Behan says, adding the expectation is that the double aspect ground floor would remain in other commercial usage.
It has traded since 1824, and currently combines bar, restaurant, night club and roof-top beer garden.
Clancys was put up for lease in 2010, and was taken on by Ballintemple publican Tony Campion and Barry Rafferty, with some 40 staff controversially notified by overnight text that they were closing without further notice, in February 2017.
Mr Behan describes it as “one of the most significant city centre licensed opportunities to come on the market in recent years”.
Joint selling agent Kevin Barry adds that it’s in a prime location in the city centre, close to numerous developments on South Mall and Sullivan’s Quay, where demolition work on the old Government Building is now under way by BAM, for hotel/office redevelopment.
Barry Auctioneers 021-4279677, BIG 021-4270007
