Premier Inn sizes up hotel development at Leisureplex site

A NEW Premier Inn could be set to open in the heart of Cork city.

Whitbread PLC, the owner of Premier Inn, has purchased the site of the Leisureplex entertainment complex in the VQ, which it intends to redevelop into a 168-bedroom Premier Inn hotel, subject to planning permission.

The company has confirmed that as it works up its plans and brings forward a planning application for the development, Leisureplex will remain open and continue to trade.

Cork City Council previously granted permission, subject to 23 conditions, for the redevelopment of the Leisureplex site to provide for a 171-bedroom hotel.

The proposed development, approved in 2020, consisted of the demolition of existing structures, retention of and modifications to the existing facade of the former postal sorting offices and the construction of a five- to seven-storey hotel including a bar and restaurant at ground-floor level.

That planning application was lodged by International Investment ICAV.

Cork’s first Premier Inn, an 187-bedroom riverfront hotel at Morrison’s Quay, opened recently on January 29, creating 40 jobs with recruitment focused within Cork City.

“Cork is a hugely successful city with thriving business, education, research, and visitor economies,” said Whitbread in Ireland development manager Matt Gent.

“Paradoxically, It is also under-served by the type of affordable, flexible, and family-friendly hotel accommodation that Premier Inn provides so well.”

He said that the company’s investment in a second location in the city “underlines our confidence in Cork as a visitor destination and secures another well-positioned hotel for our guests to enjoy in Ireland”.

Premier Inn has over 1,000 Premier Inn bedrooms in six trading locations in Dublin and Cork.