A director of the establishment that operates the Clifden Station House Hotel in Connemara has said “ the ‘ Golfgate ’ saga brought no joy to anyone ”.
Frank Ford made his comment when opining on new accounts showing the hostel driver, Western Railway Operations Ltd, enjoyed a cushion time last time to recordpost-tax gains of€763.404.
The numbers for the 12 months to May 31 followed a modestpost-tax loss of€1.571 in the former time
The hostel was at the centre of the ‘ Golfgate ’ contestation in August 2020 during the early stages of the Covid- 19 epidemic that redounded in also European Commissioner for trade Phil Hogan and also husbandry minister Dara Calleary relinquishing. Mr Calleary is now Junior Minister for Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation.
Asked had the contestation brought about increased bookings for the hostel through enhanced “ name recognition ”, Mr Ford replied “ The ‘ Golfgate ’ saga brought no joy to anyone.
“ Thankfully the Clifden Station House was formerly an established and a well- regarded business and the once time has further to do with pious and new guests continuing to support Connemara and Clifden, ” he said.
On last time’s trading, Mr Ford said “ Like utmost hospitality businesses we enjoyed apost-pandemic boost in room profit and room rates.
” It’s our anticipation that we will be in a position to maintain advanced rates and that the assiduity as a total will be aiming to do so in the future. ”
Mr Ford said the Clifden Station House Hotel “ enjoyed a veritably encouraging fiscal performance in the time to May 2022 ”. “ After two times of Covid interruptions and impacts the property traded veritably well in the fiscal period, ” he said.
“ Domestic holidaymakers embraced staycations and we believe that Clifden and the Connemara region enjoyed a strong brio in the period.
“ We don’t anticipate the same position of fiscal performance in the current time as Irish holidaymakers have been travelling abroad in adding figures this time.
“ still, our bookings outlook is strong for the coming time and our expedients are for a good time. Notwithstanding that we’re veritably satisfied with the fiscal position of the hostel and look forward to the unborn development of the business, ” he added.
The business employs 70 people at peak season.