THE OWNER of one of Donegal’s best-loved hotels has opened his heart after he was forced to shut the premises.
Paul Kelly, the owner of Gleneany House Hotel in Letterkenny, said he had no choice but to close the 25 bedroom family-run business.
“Today is a very sad day for the entire Kelly family and for me personally, as Gleneany House has been a major part of my life for almost 20 years, but due to very tough trading times, it is no longer economically possible to remain open.
“I would like to thank everyone for supporting us down through the years, our customers, suppliers and most importantly, our loyal committed and hard working staff past and present,” he said.
Gleneany House Hotel in Letterkenny has been open for the past 20 years and had enjoyed a solid reputation in hotel circles.
The 25 bedroom hotel and restaurant was located at the Port Roundabout at the entrance to the town.
President of the Letterkenny Chamber of Commerce Patrick McGinley said it was a sad day when another business had gone tot he wall in the Cathedral Town.
“I am very sad to hear the news because the Kelly family ran a fine hotel and were very well- respected as hard working and decent people.
“But it goes to show that businesses, especially many in the service industry including hotels, restaurants and bars, are finding things very difficult at the moment,” he said.
The closure of the budget hotel comes hot on the heels of another closure in the town – the Bastille Bistro on the town’s High Road which closed last week with the loss of 15 jobs.