BY AILEEN MURPHY
A welcome six new jobs will be created in Enniskillen when the impressive new Belmore Court Motel extension on the Dublin Road opens.
The eye-catching development is right on schedule. It is due to open at the end of March. Its owner, Terry McCartney revealed this week that he hoped to appoint six new people in roles in housekeeping, reception and managerial position.
The £2.2 million expansion will provide an additional 30 bedrooms to the Motel, which represents a doubling of the current capacity.
The Belmore Court has been in operation since 1990,
It was opened by local hotelier, the late Raymond McCartney. It is currently managed by Raymond's son, Terry.
The development was designed by Keys and Monaghan Architects in Irvinestown. It will add a number of new facets to the motel: conferencing facilities will be available for groups, with the inclusion of a fully integrated communal meeting space equipped with state of the art technology.
The motel will have a welcome area with reception facility and lounge seating where guests can check-in whilst having access to local tourist information.
Mr McCartney said: "I recognise the changing marketplace and the advent of mixed use accommodation sites. With this in the mind, the new premise will have a mix of double, triple, quad rooms and a number of apartments".
Mr McCartney acknowledged that the market had evolved since the conception of the Belmore Court Motel, as he explained: "To reflect increasing consumer expectations, the new extension will have a more luxurious feel.
"All the new superior rooms will be larger than the standard rooms, with more sumptuous furnishings and state of the art flat screen multi-channel televisions".
The family market has always been key for the motel sector and, with this in mind Mr McCartney has included seven family rooms in the new extension.
"Each unit will have two double beds and the option of an adjoining room. The addition of four conference/meeting rooms is market-driven, to cater for a large number of local companies looking for meeting space away from the office.
Mr McCartney added: "The addition of these 30 rooms increases the range of markets we can attract. Enniskillen is well on the way to becoming one of the most desirable holiday and business destinations in Ireland. The local economy and its infrastructure can benefit greatly from these upward trends, so it is important that the tourism sector is seen as a genuine economic force with a major contribution to make."
