Northern Ireland

Hotelier William Hastings has died at age 89

 Sir William Hastings died today
 Sir William Hastings died today  Sir William Hastings died today

HOTELIER William Hastings has died at home after a short illness.

The 89-year-old was the chairman of the Hastings Hotels group which is due to open its seventh hotel next year.

In a statement his family said he died peacefully surrounded by his wife of 57 years, Joy, and children Julie, Howard, Allyson and Aileen.

"Billy was Ireland's leading hotelier and we are immensely proud of his outstanding accomplishments," the statement said.

After leaving school at 16 and entering the timber trade he joined his brother Roy in the family licensed trade business. Together they owned many pubs, mainly in east Belfast, and in 1964 he purchases his first hotel, the Adair Arms in Ballymena.

The family said from that moment he "was the lifeblood of Northern Ireland's hotel industry".

"He did not let the Troubles put him off as he continued to expand his portfolio with the purchase of six railway hotels from Grand Metropolitan in 1971. The beautiful Slieve Donard Hotel is the only one remaining today. 

"He played a key role in restoring the hotel industry and in 1993, when many were shying away from investing, he purchased the Europa Hotel and transformed it into one of the world's most famous hotels offering much local employment and trade to local suppliers.

"His dedication to the industry was recognised when he received a knighthood in 2009 having already been awarded a CBE and an OBE. The University of Ulster awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters in 1998.

"He was chairman and board member of a number of organisations including the Institute of Directors, the Transport Holding Company, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Bass Ireland and a passionate member and past president of the Belfast East Rotary Club for 50 years as well as a loyal parishioner formerly of Drumbeg Church of Ireland and latterly of Downpatrick Cathedral." 

The grandfather also worked with a number of charities, including Help the Aged, Chest Heart and Stroke and Men Against Cancer.

"He took great pride in working together with us in the family business and, until he took ill earlier this year, he still came into his office every day and continued to play a key role as chairman of Hastings Hotels. In 2015 Billy was immensely proud to announce the purchase of what is to be the seventh Hastings hotel and he was very much looking forward to seeing the rebirth of the Grand Central Hotel when it opens next year.

"We cannot describe the huge void that he has left in our lives but we take comfort in the fact that he was an inspiration to so many people and has left a lasting legacy which we will remain dedicated in honouring."

 William and Joy Hastings
 William and Joy Hastings  William and Joy Hastings
 William and Joy Hastings
 William and Joy Hastings  William and Joy Hastings

of Northern Ireland’s business community for generations".

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 William and Joy Hastings
 William and Joy Hastings  William and Joy Hastings

The organisation described the hotelier as "

 William and Joy Hastings
 William and Joy Hastings  William and Joy Hastings