No job losses or closures at our Cork hotels, says Blue Haven Group owner

There will be no job losses and hotels across Cork’s Blue Haven Group will remain open, despite the appointment of a provisional liquidator last week.

Ciarán Fitzgerald, owner of the Blue Haven Group, confirmed to The Echo that he has successfully completed the €10m-plus buyout of Kinsale’s Blue Haven Hotel, The Old Bank Townhouse, and West Cork’s Schull Harbour Hotel, together with a commercial and residential property portfolio in the Cork region.

Mr Fitzgerald said both hotels will continue to operate as normal, with no loss of employment, despite the High Court appointment of a provisional liquidator, John Healy, of Kroll Advisory, last week.

“They are currently preparing for the season ahead while comprehensively dealing with any legacy matters,” said Mr Fitzgerald.

The Kinsale native took High Court action on Friday regarding two companies which had provided management services to the two hotels in the past.

As a result, the High Court granted an application brought for the appointment of a provisional liquidator to Larmona Limited and Cross Blue Holdings Ltd.

Mr Fitzgerald said while both entities had previously managed hotel operations, they did not own the hotel properties or their related assets, and are no longer trading.

POSITIVE STEP

He further said the appointment of a provisional liquidator was a “positive step forward” and would bring an end to “a difficult period”.

Mr Fitzgerald said he hopes that this will allow the companies’ affairs to be “concluded appropriately” and “enable the legacy companies to discharge their debts in an orderly fashion under the supervision of the liquidator”.

“I’m a hotelier first and foremost. I care deeply about these businesses and can confirm that through the buyout, we have secured a strong and stable foundation for the future of these hotels and the people they employ,” said Mr Fitzgerald. 

“We have an exceptional team in place, of more than 120 people in Kinsale and West Cork, and we are committed to enhancing further our guest experience and offering over the coming years.”