Shane Lowry company buys former Tullamore whiskey visitor centre

Golfer Shane Lowry and publican and hotelier Alan Clancy have acquired the Old Bonded Warehouse in Tullamore from Tullamore Dew distillers William Grant & Sons.

Lowry, who is from Co Offaly, and Mr Clancy have bought the historic building through their company Emante for an undisclosed sum following an "extensive consultation and competitive bidding process to select an appropriate new owner", William Grant & Sons said.

Emante is expected to open a bar and restaurant at the site.

Mr Clancy, who also controls the NolaClan hospitality group, said Emante was “delighted” to acquire the Old Bonded Warehouse.

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“We look forward to doing our part to boost the local economy in the years ahead, and will be sharing more plans about the building next year,” he said.

Built in 1879, the building on Bury Quay in Tullamore was used as a Tullamore Dew whiskey heritage centre and restaurant, but the tourist attraction was closed down in October 2020.

"We are pleased to work with Alan Clancy and Shane Lowry to ensure that it continues to be an important destination for the town of Tullamore," said Tullamore Dew head of marketing David Moore.

Separately, William Grant & Sons now plans to open a new visitor experience centre at the Tullamore Distillery, which employs more than 90 people.

Mr Moore said the new centre was “currently in development”, and that the distillery looked forward to welcoming visitors to it from early 2022 onwards. Further details will be announced “in the near future”, he added.

In recent years more than €100 million has been invested in Tullamore Distillery by William Grant & Sons, the Scottish company that acquired the Tullamore Dew brand from C&C in 2010 and subsequently brought whiskey production back to Tullamore for the first time in 60 years by constructing and later expanding the distillery on the outskirts of the town.