With a history dating back to 1614, The Old Inn Crawfordsburn is to be offered for sale following the announcement that owner Danny Rice, a renowned figure in the hospitality industry has decided to retire after nearly 40 years at the helm.
Located in the heart of Crawfordsburn village, the 400-year-old thatched roof property set in 1.5 acres, was purchased by Mr Rice in 1982 who since then has made significant enhancements which have enabled The Old Inn to become one of the country’s top hotels and a popular venue for weddings.
Renowned for its high-quality service and standards, the hotel was awarded the prestigious accolade of A.A. Hotel of the Year in 2017/18 and includes 33 individually styled bedrooms, the 78-seater Lewis restaurant which has held 2 A.A. Rosettes from 2000 to 2019, two wedding suites following a £1.2m extension in 2015, and extensive gardens.
Planning has also been approved for further development to the rear of the property, which is not listed, to enable the expansion of the wedding business.
Owner, Danny Rice said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed developing The Old Inn over the last 38 years with the support of my family and the great team we have been fortunate to have working at the hotel. I am proud to see how the property has grown and developed to become a prominent feature in the Northern Ireland tourism industry and popular destination for families and friends to come together for special occasions. I think at the grand age of 80 it’s now time to take a step back and the new owner take the hotel to the next stage.”
The sale is being handled by Gavin Weir, Head of Hotels & Leisure at Belfast property consultants GVA NI who said, “This is a unique opportunity for someone wishing to build upon the legacy that has been developed over a number of years at this iconic hotel. It is rare that opportunities like this become available on the open market and we anticipate a significant level of interest from locally based hotel groups as well as parties based in the UK and Republic of Ireland who will see this as chance to enter the Northern Ireland market and hit the ground running without the time delay and onerous costs that come with a new build project.”
Throughout his career in the hospitality industry spanning six decades, Danny Rice has been responsible for the development of successful bars and hotels including Robinsons, the Balmoral Hotel, The Fly, The Priory, The Joxer, The Elbow and the Bush Ranger in London’s West End.
