A redeveloped guest house is re-opening its doors following a multi-million-pound redevelopment which has transformed it into a Four-Star Licenced Guest Inn.
Hillyard House, situated on the edge of Castlewellan Forest Park has recently received a £3million investment to fully refurbish the property’s 20 en-suite guest bedrooms, develop a new licenced restaurant, and create a new bar, all whilst focussing on long-term environmental sustainability.
In an effort to live out the ‘Environmental’ aspect of their ‘REFLECT’ Framework, Hillyard Hospitality wanted to ensure the reduction of the property’s carbon footprint whilst ensuring a high-quality guest experience. One of the ways in which this was achieved was through making the move to natural gas, which offers considerable carbon savings and, is much more convenient.
Owners, Martin O’Higgins and Seamus Devlin explain: “Given our close links to Castlewellan Forest Park and other areas of outstanding natural beauty, as well as our responsibility to the local community in which we have operated for many years, ensuring Hillyard House operated in an environmentally responsible manner was of critical importance to us. Making the move to natural gas therefore became a priority for us, due to how it produces less carbon than any other fossil fuel.”
General Manager, Cormac Cushnan added, “In addition to our carbon savings and positive environmental impact, the removal of our oil tanks allowed us to better utilise space within the property to create a 90-seater restaurant and bar. We hope this will add significant value to the guest experience and allow us to offer something unique within the local area.”
Cormac continued, “With many people opting for staycations and short-stays locally, we believe there is a huge opportunity for anyone looking to experience the rich beauty of Castlewellan and its surrounding areas. The Hillyard team aim to ensure we offer an inviting escape through making the wee things count and we are delighted to be partnered with Phoenix Energy to make this a reality.”
Phoenix Energy has been supporting businesses across East Down in making the move to natural gas as part of its £60 million pound network extension investment. Lachlan Nally, Industrial & Commercial Sales Manager at Phoenix Energy says: “We are delighted to be working with clients such as Hillyard Hospitality to provide an effective, reliable and lower carbon heating solution for their business that doesn’t compromise on the customer experience.
“Traditionally, businesses have moved to natural gas for convenience reasons, such as instant heat and hot water, but increasingly the efficiency and environmental benefits are becoming more important as businesses look at how to fuel their future. We’re delighted that the extension of the natural gas network to East Down has enabled Hillyard House to reduce their carbon emissions and look forward to welcoming more businesses to natural gas in the months and years ahead.”
Phoenix Energy began work on the extension of its natural gas network to 13 towns across East Down in 2016, providing access to natural gas for a further 28,000 properties.
For more information on the benefits of natural gas and the current incentives available visit www.phoenixnaturalgas.com.
Further information on Hillyard Hospitality and their sustainability framework can be found at: www.hillyardhospitality.com/mission
Photo caption: Hillyard House General Manager Cormac Cushnan is pictured alongside Lachlan Nally, Industrial & Commercial Sales Manager at Phoenix Energy.