Council and O'Rourke have differing views on future of ‘eyesore’ Athlone site

Athlone councillor Aengus O'Rourke and local authority management have differing views on what should be done about the derelict site of the former O'Neill's pub in Athlone.

The 'eyesore' site in the centre of town was discussed at the February meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, and Cllr O'Rourke brought it up again at the March meeting.

Attempts by the council to find a buyer for the site have been unsuccessful and Cllr O'Rourke suggested in February that a 'Plan B' was needed.

He said it was now "highly unlikely" that a buyer for the site would be found, and asked the council to consider "returning it to the public" by using the space to "extend the public realm in the area" instead.

At the March meeting, the Fianna Fáil councillor asked if any further consideration had been given to developing a new public realm space where the pub and adjoining Finlay Auctioneering premises once stood.

"The reason why I am asking again this month is that, following on from last month's discussion, I was inundated with calls from business owners and the public alike who feel that (the public realm idea) probably is 'the only show in town' at this stage," he said.

However, Westmeath County Council officials have said that, if the site cannot be sold in its present form, they intend to design a new building for it and put it on the market again with planning permission already in place.

At the March meeting of the Municipal District, director of services Ambrose Clarke said council management still believed this was the best course of action.

"The situation hasn't changed in relation to where it's at," said Mr Clarke.

"It was the decision of the management team that, if we can't sell it, we would design a building and then sell the site with planning permission on it. That's still our position," he said.