Leading B&B organisations to merge

IRELAND’S TWO leading B&B organisations are to form a new joint body which will represent 60 per cent of BB properties in…

IRELAND’S TWO leading B&B organisations are to form a new joint body which will represent 60 per cent of BB properties in the State.

The Town and Country Homes Association (TCH) and Irish Farmhouse Holidays (IFH), both set up more than 40 years ago, have concluded negotiations on the partnership. The decision is expected to be ratified at meetings of both national bodies on Thursday.

In a joint statement, TCH chairwoman Kate Burns and IFH chairwoman Bernadette Freyne said the merger agreement is “based on mutual recognition, trust in a new shared future and respect for the knowledge and experience of the two founding organisations, and the product and brand they represent”.

Spokeswoman for IFH Eileen McDonagh said it had been a question of “when” not “if” the two associations would join together.

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“The two bodies have never been competitors but have worked jointly in issuing a mutual brochure two years ago and lobbying for a compulsory registration and grading systems for bed and breakfasts.”

The new organisation will be known as Irish Town, Farm Country Homes (TFCH) and will be administered from the existing TCH head office in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal.

It will bring 1,000 TCH members and more than 200 IFH members together under one umbrella representing the town, farm and country elements of the BB product.

There are currently 2,500 bed and breakfasts in Ireland.