Bank for your buck at beautifully restored €1m former National Bank in Listowel's town square

No 12 The Square has offices across three floors and retains some legacy bank features such as a strong room with a safe door

Thu, 11 Apr, 2024 - 12:42

Catherine Shanahan

OFFERS in excess of €1m are being sought for a meticulously restored former National Bank premises in the heart of Listowel, Co Kerry, where musicians, writers and fashionistas have all hosted events.

Now known as the Butler Centre, the three-storey, cut-stone building is currently occupied by Kerry Education and Training Board, who have it on a 10-year lease from January 1, 2019. Annual passing rent is €60,000.

Selling the historic premise which was once both home and place of work for the bank manager, is Listowel-based Kilkenny native Antoinette Butler, who bought the 5,167 sq ft partially-restored premises in 2016 and spent the next year-and-a-half finishing it out to exacting standards.

Restoration work was conservation-led: The National Bank name remains in place on the facade of the building and quality work was carried out internally, with a focus on enhancing original features, while also creating a venue suitable for modern use.

The building, which was at one point a Labour Exchange, contains offices across three floors and retains some legacy bank features such as a strong room with a safe door, which leads to a kitchenette. Rose mouldings around light fittings were supplied by the craftsman who supplied the same moldings to Adare Manor.

Carpets are Axminister from Ulster Carpet Mills Portadown; the external iron railing was painted and enhanced with gold feature painting; flooring in the main room and ground floor is black Oak and windows and doors have heritage brass fittings. The building has been re-wired with CAT 5 cabling, emergency lighting, fire sensors and alarm and meets fire safety regulations. It also has disability access certification. Externally there is an enclosed yard with lock-up store and two pedestrian access points.

Ms Butler’s initial plan for the building was to use it to house her Irish Host Family business, which organises homestays and tuition for European students learning English.

“But while we were doing it up, people started to approach us about using it for different events,” she says.

It ultimately became the Butler Centre, a popular venue for civil ceremonies, receptions, meetings, conferences, exhibitions and photography, as well as hosting events linked to Listowel Writers’ Week and Listowel Visual Arts Festival. Well known figures such as musicians Sharon Sharon and Mundy; fashion stylist Celia Holman Lee and writer Liz Nugent have used it at different times.

During one Writers' Week, Ms Nugest ran a "writing drama" class for beginners, using the pilot episode from hit TV series Breaking Bad as a teaching tool. In 2019, Kerry Education and Training Board approached Ms Butler about renting the entire premises, and signed a 10-year lease, from January 1, 2019.

Ms Butler is now focusing on another project and has decided to sell No12 The Square Listowel, which has a guide price in excess of €1m. While there is still some way to go on the ETB lease, Ms Butler said it could, in the long term "be a fabulous home or apartments".

Selling No 12 is Tom Dillon of Dillon Prendiville auctioneers, who said the restoration work is top-notch.

“The level of finish and how sympathetically it was restored, in keeping with the original character of the building, while still bringing it up to modern standards, is very impressive, especially when it was done in conjunction with all the issues a listed building can throw up,” Mr Dillon said.

Moreover its location in the centre of Listowel was was big draw, he said.

“In any town, the town square is always a great location,” Mr Dillon said.