Fota Resort ‘thriving’ despite Fleming court ruling

GOLF directors at Cork’s Fota Island Resort insist it is business as usual despite the appointment of a receiver at the prestigious facility last week.

Fota Island captain Edwin Ryan has written to members expressing concern about the development which followed a Supreme Court ruling against collapsed construction giant Fleming Group which developed and owned the five-star facility.

Ryan met with representatives of PriceWaterhouseCooper in respect of their appointment of receivers to ascertain the implications for the club and its members.

He received assurances that: “in the immediate future, business at the resort will be conducted as normal and that all agreements presently in place in respect of our membership will be honoured”.

He added: “With an eye to the longer-term situation, I am presently convening a small working group to examine the possible scenarios that may emerge in respect of the receivership process, and to develop strategies that can be implemented to protect and preserve our golfing futures at Fota Island. Meetings of that working group, a full committee meeting and a meeting of the liaison committee where we will meet the receivers are all scheduled between now and the end of the month. At that point a clearer picture of the intermediate to longer-term arrangements that will be put in place at Fota Island should have emerged as will their impact, if any, on us the members.

“The officers and the committee are committed to representing the best interests of the members and preserving our usage of what is an outstanding facility at Fota Island.”

Last night, Fota Island Resort marketing director Seamus Leahy eased concerns and assured members that they will “continue to receive a world class, five-star service.”

He pointed out: “Fota Island Golf Club and Resort have had a number of different owners in the past. And any future people will not be interested in changing the winning formula which has ensured that the golf club and resort have both remained popular and profitable despite extremely difficult times, putting them in a small minority of five-star golf resorts in the country.

“Regardless of the recent changes of ownership, the prospects for Fota Island Golf Club and the Resort remain the same. We will be kicking off the golfing season with the Open Series Fourball tomorrow followed by Sunday’s Senior Scratch Cup, with some of Ireland’s top amateurs competing. The commercial case is a constant – Fota Island Resort remains a profitable enterprise in these difficult commercial times – and the Golf Club members will continue to receive a world class, five-star service going forward from everyone in the existing management team.”

Jonathan Woods, chief executive at Fota Resort added: “It is business as usual. Fota is a very profitable business and this has no impact or issue with our operations.”