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Charity behind transformation of new Derry city centre hotel

The final touches are added to the Bishop's Gate Hotel in Derry just before its official opening 
The final touches are added to the Bishop's Gate Hotel in Derry just before its official opening  The final touches are added to the Bishop's Gate Hotel in Derry just before its official opening 

A NEW hotel has been opened in Derry by a charity dedicated to restoring and refurbishing the old walled city.

In what is believed to be a first, the Bishop’s Gate Hotel at Bishop Street Within was officially opened on Friday by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

It is the latest landmark building to be taken over and restored by the Inner City Trust.

Established in 1981 by the late Paddy “Bogside” Doherty, the Inner City Trust was developed with the support of former bishops of Derry, Edward Daly and James Mehaffey.

Among some of its most spectacular successes have been the development of the Tower Museum and the city’s Craft Village.

In establishing the Trust, Mr Doherty set out to restore the inner city while also creating employment and training opportunities for young people.

The trust used its restoration programme – working on many buildings which were severely damaged in the Troubles - to train young people in a range of trades while refurbishing landmark buildings.

All money raised through the Trust’s work is either re-invested in building restoration or is distributed to social regeneration groups such as alcohol, drugs and suicide treatment organisations.

The new 31-bedroom Bishop’s Gate Hotel also includes a ballroom, restaurant and bars.

A listed building, the hotel was once a private members’ club for business and civic leaders.

Among its former guests were Ulster Unionist leader, Lord Carson as well as wartime prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill and Nobel-winning poet, WB Yeats.

Mr McGuinness said the hotel would help regenerate and re-invigorate Derry and was an important part of the city’s tourism infrastructure.

“Sitting right in the heart of the city, this hotel not only reminds us of our history but also sends out a clear signal of our ambitious plans and hopes for the future,” Mr McGuinness said.

Environment Minister, Mark H Durkan, whose department contributed to the cost of the restoration work, said the hotel would be a major economic boost for Derry.

“It will offer local and international visitors an opportunity to eat, sleep and breathe our rich and varied built heritage by being able to stay in a building with such a unique history,” Mr Durkan said.

Social Development Minister, Lord Morrow said the new hotel was a superb example of how the Inner City Trust restored and re-invigorated significant historic buildings.

Chief executive of the Inner City Trust, Helen Quigley – a former SDLP mayor of Derry – said the city’s built heritage was a source of pride.

“Breathing new life into such an important historic city centre building will enhance the city as a whole while businesses in the immediate vicinity will benefit from having a luxury hotel on their doorstop,” she said.

Mrs Quigley said: “The Trust aims to bring historically important buildings back into meaningful and economic use.

"The Bishop’s Gate Hotel is the perfect example of how we can work together to safeguard our historic buildings while promoting social and economic development.”