1798 Centre to be sold to council for €325,000
CONFIRMATION of the intended sale of the National 1798 Centre at Arnold’s Cross in Enniscorthy arrived at last week’s meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, as the proposed plan was tabled for members ahead of being brought before Wexford County Council.
Under the proposal, as previously reported in The Enniscorthy Guardian, the landmark building will be sold to Mr John Stafford of Slaney Farms, Tomnalosset, at a price of €325,000. Mr Stafford intends to use the building as a micro distillery which will produce artisan gin and vodka and which Wexford County Council hopes will continue to attract tourists in it’s own right.
It will also create employment for four people initially and District Manager Liz Hore confirmed that all council staff currently employed at the centre will be retained. Under the proposal, the centre will remain open for the coming tourist season before Mr Stafford takes possession and starts work.
Under the terms of the deal, Wexford County Council will have first refusal to purchases the property at the original sale price if the purchaser decides to sell within the first five years.
The property is also sold limiting the use as a distillery and visitor centre for a period of five years and specifically restricting use for the construction of housing.
While the majority of council members seemed happy enough with the plan, things became quite heated when Cllr Johnny Mythen voiced his objections, much to the annoyance of Chairman Cllr Keith Doyle.
‘I’d like to object to this,’ said Cllr Mythen. ‘There’s no replacement in place for the 1798 Centre. This is a national centre and it’s like we’re just closing it down.’
This incensed Cllr Doyle, who replied: ‘That’s not the case and I don’t want you to continue if you’re just going to put out false information. It will be transferred elsewhere. It’s not being closed down!’
Cllr Mythen then replied that he just wanted to know when the centre would re-open, to which Cllr Doyle replied: ‘That’s not what you asked. That’s not what you said.’
‘Well I’m asking now,’ Cllr Mythen continued. ‘When will it happen.’
District Manager Liz Hore then calmed things slightly by explaining that this summer, the centre will open as normal.
The following season will see the 1798 offering move to a temporary home, previously mooted as the athenaeum, and then finally the summer after that it is hoped that it will be permanently re-homed somewhere where it will link in with the new major tourism package planned for Enniscorthy surrounding the castle and athenaeum.
While the Castle Nightclub had previously been discussed as a potential new home for the centre, owner PJ Doyle remains adamant that he will not sell to the council and that he intends to re-open by the end of the year. However, this would not prevent a compulsory purchase order being placed on the building, although Mr Doyle has said that he will fight this every step of the way.
‘We feel that the proposed sale fits in with the food and drink tourism package that we’re trying to create in the area and it will also create a little bit of employment in the town,’ Ms Hore said. She also confirmed that all the money from the sale of the 1798 Centre will be ring-fenced for tourism in Enniscorthy.