Wynn's plans expansion

Hotels: With no room to expand at Wynn's Hotel on Dublin's Lower Abbey Street, owner Neil Loftus is concentrating on converting the basement, adding to the three conference rooms already up and running at Wynn's. Kate McMorrow reports.

A planning application has been submitted to install a kitchen, goods lift and build a single-storey bar extension to the rear of the hotel.

The land-locked nature of Wynn’s is a drawback which owner Loftus has attempted to overcome since he acquired the hotel nine years ago.

Having failed to buy the former AIB premises, Loftus has his eye on the CIE offices next door, although discussions so far have come to naught.

"We’ve been trying to acquire other properties behind and beside the hotel and have had discussions with the owners, but noting so far," says Loftus, adding that the regeneration of O’Connell Street has been "horrendous" for businesses in the area.

The closure of The China Showrooms is a case in point, he says.

Built around 1850 as a hotel, Wynn’s has built up a loyal customer base over the years catering mainly for the Irish and UK market.

Dubliner Loftus decided to retain this reliable market when he sold the Clarence Hotel to the U2 group and moved over to Lower Abbey Street.

Keen pricing has led to the success of the conference end of the market, prompting the new additions, he says.

"We are constantly upgrading and it’s a costly exercise. The access here is appalling just now and there’s no compensation from the Corporation for this," says Loftus.