PLANS to revamp the historic Londonderry Arms in Carnlough will involve changing the name of the 176-year-old hotel.
The Co Antrim coastal venue, once owned by Sir Winston Churchill, was bought over in the summer by a group of three businessmen who plan to establish it as the island’s first whiskey hotel.
As part of the major revamp they also plan to change the name to the Harbourview Hotel.
The move however has divided opinion and sparked dozens of comments on social media.
Many have labelled it “a mistake”, while others welcomed the fresh investment for the popular coastal village.
One user claimed it “shows no respect for the heritage”, while another said it was “a shame to change the name of such a historic place”.
However, one local woman hit out at critics, suggesting many had complained in the past about the lack of investment in Carnlough.
“These people are bringing a lot more than just a name change to the area,” she said.
Others have said the hotel will always be known to locals as “The Derry”.
Built in 1848 as a coaching inn by Frances Ann Vane Tempest, the Marchioness of Londonderry, the property was passed down through her family, and was eventually inherited in 1921 by her great-grandson, Sir Winston Churchill.
The 35-bedroom hotel had been in the O’Neill family since 1947.
But following the retirement of Denise O’Neill, a consortium headed by hotelier Adrian McLaughlin, master Irish whiskey distiller Darryl McNally and entrepreneur Carl Harrison have taken control.
A refurbishment programme is currently ongoing at the seaside site ahead of its full relaunch in the spring of 2025.
The new owners, who plan to reposition the hotel as a four star Irish whiskey destination, went public with their new name and branding on the hotel’s Facebook page earlier this month.
Ballymena native Adrian McLaughlin, who previously ran the Merchant Hotel in Belfast, said their revamp had resulted in the recovery of some original features.
He said the project, which will involve a total investment of around £1.75 million, had exposed the building’s original terrazzo floors, which spent many years under carpet. Around 200 chairs are also being fully restored.
“The terrazzo floors are beautiful,” he said. “We’re keeping a lot of what’s there and we’re actually uncovering things and reusing them.
“We’re setting out to create Ireland’s first whiskey hotel, we’re spending a lot of money upgrading it, and the customer experience is going to be unbelievable,” he added.
Mr McLaughlin said the hotel will be well positioned to take advantage in the huge growth in whiskey tourism on the island of Ireland.
“It’s not Disney,” he said. “But I certainly think it’s something I think tourists are going to be very curious about.”
