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Fáilte Ireland grant and more visitors boost Bantry House

September 18th, 2015 10:05 AM

By Southern Star Team

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BANTRY House has received a grant from Fáilte Ireland to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan.

 

BY JACKIE KEOGH

 

BANTRY House has received a grant from Fáilte Ireland to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan.

Last year, a plan to auction some of the contents of Bantry House was postponed after it emerged the auctioneers didn’t have the appropriate licence for the auction.

In a bid to save the contents of the house from an auctioneer’s hammer in the future, Peter Murray of Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery, with the support of the Irish Georgian Society, produced a booklet to encourage a private donor to come forward and purchase the contents, but leave them in situ on public display.

Bantry House has previously featured in a Channel 4 programme in which the presenter, Simon Davies, sought to help guesthouse owners, including those who own historic properties and estates, to draw up a development plan to safeguard their future.

In the case of Bantry House, the presenter made several recommendations including the proposal that the owners make greater use of the stable blocks. But Sophie, who took over the running of the house from her mother, Brigitte Shelswell-White, is not short of ideas, hard work, or determination.

‘This year,’ she told The Southern Star, ‘we upped our game. During the months of June, July and August, we offered guided tours of the house at 11am and 2pm daily.

‘Now, in the shoulder season, we are offering one tour a day at 2pm because we find that it encourages people to come into the house more. Previously, the tours would have been pre-booked.’

In the last six months, Sophie said Bantry House has also received a grant from Fáilte Ireland that has allowed them to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan. ‘Hopefully, this will allow us to do a better job and to move forward with more grant applications, which would give us greater access to restoration and business development grants.’

Sophie acknowledged that the proposed sale of the tapestries and paintings could have eased the financial strain involved in the cost of running Bantry House, but the popularity of the Wild Atlantic Way is, in the interim, having a positive impact.

‘It has been a good season for us despite the wet weather,’ said Sophie. ‘With the weather being so poor more people were looking for things they could do on a blustery day.

‘The appeal of the Wild Atlantic Way also had something to do with that,’ said Sophie. ‘Last year, the term was just industry speak, but this year tourists were referring to the Wild Atlantic Way quite freely.’

 

BY JACKIE KEOGH

 

BANTRY House has received a grant from Fáilte Ireland to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan.

Last year, a plan to auction some of the contents of Bantry House was postponed after it emerged the auctioneers didn’t have the appropriate licence for the auction.

In a bid to save the contents of the house from an auctioneer’s hammer in the future, Peter Murray of Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery, with the support of the Irish Georgian Society, produced a booklet to encourage a private donor to come forward and purchase the contents, but leave them in situ on public display.

Bantry House has previously featured in a Channel 4 programme in which the presenter, Simon Davies, sought to help guesthouse owners, including those who own historic properties and estates, to draw up a development plan to safeguard their future.

In the case of Bantry House, the presenter made several recommendations including the proposal that the owners make greater use of the stable blocks. But Sophie, who took over the running of the house from her mother, Brigitte Shelswell-White, is not short of ideas, hard work, or determination.

‘This year,’ she told The Southern Star, ‘we upped our game. During the months of June, July and August, we offered guided tours of the house at 11am and 2pm daily.

‘Now, in the shoulder season, we are offering one tour a day at 2pm because we find that it encourages people to come into the house more. Previously, the tours would have been pre-booked.’

In the last six months, Sophie said Bantry House has also received a grant from Fáilte Ireland that has allowed them to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan. ‘Hopefully, this will allow us to do a better job and to move forward with more grant applications, which would give us greater access to restoration and business development grants.’

Sophie acknowledged that the proposed sale of the tapestries and paintings could have eased the financial strain involved in the cost of running Bantry House, but the popularity of the Wild Atlantic Way is, in the interim, having a positive impact.

‘It has been a good season for us despite the wet weather,’ said Sophie. ‘With the weather being so poor more people were looking for things they could do on a blustery day.

‘The appeal of the Wild Atlantic Way also had something to do with that,’ said Sophie. ‘Last year, the term was just industry speak, but this year tourists were referring to the Wild Atlantic Way quite freely.’

 

BY JACKIE KEOGH

 

BANTRY House has received a grant from Fáilte Ireland to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan.

Last year, a plan to auction some of the contents of Bantry House was postponed after it emerged the auctioneers didn’t have the appropriate licence for the auction.

In a bid to save the contents of the house from an auctioneer’s hammer in the future, Peter Murray of Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery, with the support of the Irish Georgian Society, produced a booklet to encourage a private donor to come forward and purchase the contents, but leave them in situ on public display.

Bantry House has previously featured in a Channel 4 programme in which the presenter, Simon Davies, sought to help guesthouse owners, including those who own historic properties and estates, to draw up a development plan to safeguard their future.

In the case of Bantry House, the presenter made several recommendations including the proposal that the owners make greater use of the stable blocks. But Sophie, who took over the running of the house from her mother, Brigitte Shelswell-White, is not short of ideas, hard work, or determination.

‘This year,’ she told The Southern Star, ‘we upped our game. During the months of June, July and August, we offered guided tours of the house at 11am and 2pm daily.

‘Now, in the shoulder season, we are offering one tour a day at 2pm because we find that it encourages people to come into the house more. Previously, the tours would have been pre-booked.’

In the last six months, Sophie said Bantry House has also received a grant from Fáilte Ireland that has allowed them to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan. ‘Hopefully, this will allow us to do a better job and to move forward with more grant applications, which would give us greater access to restoration and business development grants.’

Sophie acknowledged that the proposed sale of the tapestries and paintings could have eased the financial strain involved in the cost of running Bantry House, but the popularity of the Wild Atlantic Way is, in the interim, having a positive impact.

‘It has been a good season for us despite the wet weather,’ said Sophie. ‘With the weather being so poor more people were looking for things they could do on a blustery day.

‘The appeal of the Wild Atlantic Way also had something to do with that,’ said Sophie. ‘Last year, the term was just industry speak, but this year tourists were referring to the Wild Atlantic Way quite freely.’

 

BY JACKIE KEOGH

 

BANTRY House has received a grant from Fáilte Ireland to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan.

Last year, a plan to auction some of the contents of Bantry House was postponed after it emerged the auctioneers didn’t have the appropriate licence for the auction.

In a bid to save the contents of the house from an auctioneer’s hammer in the future, Peter Murray of Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery, with the support of the Irish Georgian Society, produced a booklet to encourage a private donor to come forward and purchase the contents, but leave them in situ on public display.

Bantry House has previously featured in a Channel 4 programme in which the presenter, Simon Davies, sought to help guesthouse owners, including those who own historic properties and estates, to draw up a development plan to safeguard their future.

In the case of Bantry House, the presenter made several recommendations including the proposal that the owners make greater use of the stable blocks. But Sophie, who took over the running of the house from her mother, Brigitte Shelswell-White, is not short of ideas, hard work, or determination.

‘This year,’ she told The Southern Star, ‘we upped our game. During the months of June, July and August, we offered guided tours of the house at 11am and 2pm daily.

‘Now, in the shoulder season, we are offering one tour a day at 2pm because we find that it encourages people to come into the house more. Previously, the tours would have been pre-booked.’

In the last six months, Sophie said Bantry House has also received a grant from Fáilte Ireland that has allowed them to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan. ‘Hopefully, this will allow us to do a better job and to move forward with more grant applications, which would give us greater access to restoration and business development grants.’

Sophie acknowledged that the proposed sale of the tapestries and paintings could have eased the financial strain involved in the cost of running Bantry House, but the popularity of the Wild Atlantic Way is, in the interim, having a positive impact.

‘It has been a good season for us despite the wet weather,’ said Sophie. ‘With the weather being so poor more people were looking for things they could do on a blustery day.

‘The appeal of the Wild Atlantic Way also had something to do with that,’ said Sophie. ‘Last year, the term was just industry speak, but this year tourists were referring to the Wild Atlantic Way quite freely.’

 

BY JACKIE KEOGH

 

BANTRY House has received a grant from Fáilte Ireland to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan.

Last year, a plan to auction some of the contents of Bantry House was postponed after it emerged the auctioneers didn’t have the appropriate licence for the auction.

In a bid to save the contents of the house from an auctioneer’s hammer in the future, Peter Murray of Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery, with the support of the Irish Georgian Society, produced a booklet to encourage a private donor to come forward and purchase the contents, but leave them in situ on public display.

Bantry House has previously featured in a Channel 4 programme in which the presenter, Simon Davies, sought to help guesthouse owners, including those who own historic properties and estates, to draw up a development plan to safeguard their future.

In the case of Bantry House, the presenter made several recommendations including the proposal that the owners make greater use of the stable blocks. But Sophie, who took over the running of the house from her mother, Brigitte Shelswell-White, is not short of ideas, hard work, or determination.

‘This year,’ she told The Southern Star, ‘we upped our game. During the months of June, July and August, we offered guided tours of the house at 11am and 2pm daily.

‘Now, in the shoulder season, we are offering one tour a day at 2pm because we find that it encourages people to come into the house more. Previously, the tours would have been pre-booked.’

In the last six months, Sophie said Bantry House has also received a grant from Fáilte Ireland that has allowed them to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan. ‘Hopefully, this will allow us to do a better job and to move forward with more grant applications, which would give us greater access to restoration and business development grants.’

Sophie acknowledged that the proposed sale of the tapestries and paintings could have eased the financial strain involved in the cost of running Bantry House, but the popularity of the Wild Atlantic Way is, in the interim, having a positive impact.

‘It has been a good season for us despite the wet weather,’ said Sophie. ‘With the weather being so poor more people were looking for things they could do on a blustery day.

‘The appeal of the Wild Atlantic Way also had something to do with that,’ said Sophie. ‘Last year, the term was just industry speak, but this year tourists were referring to the Wild Atlantic Way quite freely.’

 

BY JACKIE KEOGH

 

BANTRY House has received a grant from Fáilte Ireland to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan.

Last year, a plan to auction some of the contents of Bantry House was postponed after it emerged the auctioneers didn’t have the appropriate licence for the auction.

In a bid to save the contents of the house from an auctioneer’s hammer in the future, Peter Murray of Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery, with the support of the Irish Georgian Society, produced a booklet to encourage a private donor to come forward and purchase the contents, but leave them in situ on public display.

Bantry House has previously featured in a Channel 4 programme in which the presenter, Simon Davies, sought to help guesthouse owners, including those who own historic properties and estates, to draw up a development plan to safeguard their future.

In the case of Bantry House, the presenter made several recommendations including the proposal that the owners make greater use of the stable blocks. But Sophie, who took over the running of the house from her mother, Brigitte Shelswell-White, is not short of ideas, hard work, or determination.

‘This year,’ she told The Southern Star, ‘we upped our game. During the months of June, July and August, we offered guided tours of the house at 11am and 2pm daily.

‘Now, in the shoulder season, we are offering one tour a day at 2pm because we find that it encourages people to come into the house more. Previously, the tours would have been pre-booked.’

In the last six months, Sophie said Bantry House has also received a grant from Fáilte Ireland that has allowed them to engage an external consultant to review its medium to long-term business plan. ‘Hopefully, this will allow us to do a better job and to move forward with more grant applications, which would give us greater access to restoration and business development grants.’

Sophie acknowledged that the proposed sale of the tapestries and paintings could have eased the financial strain involved in the cost of running Bantry House, but the popularity of the Wild Atlantic Way is, in the interim, having a positive impact.

‘It has been a good season for us despite the wet weather,’ said Sophie. ‘With the weather being so poor more people were looking for things they could do on a blustery day.

‘The appeal of the Wild Atlantic Way also had something to do with that,’ said Sophie. ‘Last year, the term was just industry speak, but this year tourists were referring to the Wild Atlantic Way quite freely.’

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