Schull fish plant and restaurant a big catch for €1.75m

Schull Fish Plant and L'Escale Restaurant

Catch of the day in West Cork holiday hotspot Schull has to be this pierside property, likely now to be an upmarket development play, one with a 37-year history in fish processing, exports, and seasonal quayside dining for locals, sailors, and “blow-ins” like newly arrived second-home owner, actor Paul Mescal.

A sale of the long-established fish-processing plant and the L’Escale restaurant, with a plant of 800sq m on a site of 0.6 of an acre, right on Schull’s pier, has just surfaced via agents Mark Gosling and Cearbhall Behan, of Behan Irwin & Gosling/Downing Commercial, who guide the “quay” opportunity at €1.75m.

The business Normandy Irish Fish Exports has been in the same family since 1978, having being founded by French man Jacques Legrix, primarily exporting fish and shellfish to Europe, and later scaled up to include a fish shop in the village, and the L’Escale restaurant by the processing plant right on the quay, with covered outdoor dining. In high summer, it’s likely as many customers sail and come in by RIB from around Roaring Water Bay and the south-west coastline as arrive by car, SUV, and on foot.

Schull Fish Plant and L'Escale Restaurant

The company is now owned and run by Xavier Legrix, and continues to trade, with the fish plant and restaurant just 200m from Main St Schull and by the seasonally bustling pier.

“The plant and restaurant have just ceased operations, as the owners have decided it’s a good time to offer the premises for sale,” say selling agents Mark Gosling and Cearbhall Behan, saying “the site is zoned residential / mixed residential, and other uses and offers a unique apartment development play”. It’s adjacent to Schull pier, with sublime views of the harbour, and “we already had good interest in the site, as zoned waterfront sites, such as this, are hard to come by”, the selling agents say, noting that “Schull is a hugely popular West Cork tourist destination, with local and international visitors being on the Wild Atlantic Way and gateway to Goleen and Barleycove.” They guide the 0.6-acre site, with residential development scope, at €1.75m, with scenic Schull having a high local, national, and international reputation, as well as hosting the annual Fastnet Film Festival, with regulars including West Cork home owners Paul Mescal, Saoirse Ronan, David Puttnam, and Jeremy Irons.

Schull Fish Plant and L'Escale Restaurant

It follows the arrival of Orchard House, a private home on an acre on the other side of Schull pier a month ago, with a €1.45m AMV, the former home of Josie O’Driscoll, who was proprietor of East End Hotel for decades and who died in her 100th year, three years ago.

The L’Escale restaurant (now not trading this summer) and plant are offered via private treaty, with a good cross-section of interest expected, both from local developers and investors and from those with property interests who holiday locally and who might like to leave a permanent proud mark, and turn a punt or two, by Schull pier.

Details www.bigproperty.ie