Fire breaks out at Percy French Hotel, Bally'duff

Work on a €10m redevelopment of the Percy French Hotel is due to begin in just a few weeks' time

A FIRE broke out at the Percy French Hotel in Ballyjamesduff this afternoon.

The local Ballyjamesduff Fire Brigade attended the hotel on Stradone Street shortly after 4pm today and quickly extinguished the blaze.

The street was closed to traffic and pedestrians while fire personnel made the area safe.

The street has since re-opened.

Local Councillor Trevor Smith (FG) told the Celt “It was lucky the local fire brigade got to the hotel so quickly."

Cllr Smith had been at the scene and says the hotel may have been targeted by arsonists again.

“It’s just so disappointing that just as the hotel is on the cusp of a major redevelopment that will be so good for the town there is a fire in it,” he said.

Work on the €10 million redevelopment of the landmark building is due to begin in just a few weeks’ time. The newly-refurbished Percy French Hotel is expected to open in 2027.