Northern Ireland

Leading hotelier Howard Hastings brands Brexit `monumental folly' and calls for second referendum

Howard Hastings pictured yesterday outside Windsor House in Belfast before its transformation into the Grand Central Hotel. Picture by Hugh Russell
Howard Hastings pictured yesterday outside Windsor House in Belfast before its transformation into the Grand Central Hotel. Picture by Hugh Russell Howard Hastings pictured yesterday outside Windsor House in Belfast before its transformation into the Grand Central Hotel. Picture by Hugh Russell

NORTHERN Ireland's leading hotelier has branded Brexit "a monumental folly" and added his voice to growing calls for a second referendum.

Howard Hastings, chief executive of the hotel group of the same name founded by his father Billy, has spoken of his fears of "apocalyptic" consequences of a `no deal' or `hard' departure from the EU.

The English-educated scion of the hospitality dynasty, which owns and operates seven hotels across the north - including the recently opened £53 million Grand Central - told the Sunday Business Post that "marketing the island of Ireland as a single entity... has been fantastic".

"To have something come along that would make it more difficult for Tourism Ireland to do that would be a huge wasted opportunity".

He told the paper: "I think the whole Brexit vote was such a monumental folly that I can't see it clearly at this stage, I'm afraid.

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"I would be a strong supporter of the desire for a second referendum when we know the exact shape, nature and consequences of Brexit.

"I don't think people go into a voting booth to voluntarily make themselves poorer, and I don't think that's what those people who voted for Brexit first time round thought they were doing.

"But now the consequences are becoming slightly more obvious."

Among those consequences "so apocalyptic" he cannot even think about them are failure to reach an open-skies agreement and passport checks on the border.

"Beyond that, if there is the restriction on the free movement of labour, that is also a concern, as is how we market ourselves to tourists."