GOFFS has been given the go-ahead by Kildare County Council to build a 50-bed equine-themed hotel at the sales complex at Kill, Co Kildare. The sales company will invest €10 million building the facility in partnership with Kildare Hotel Opportunities, a company owned by hoteliers Eoin Doyle and Ray Byrne.

Eimear Mulhern, chairperson of Goffs, expressed the hope that the hotel will serve the auctioneer’s own clients, racegoers attending nearby Kildare racetracks, the Curragh, Naas and Punchestown, as well as tourists.

Eoin Doyle commented: “We are very excited with the opportunity to create a four-star contemporary boutique hotel in a peaceful paddock setting, beside the iconic Goffs, just off the N7. For those doing business locally, in the Millennium Park or shopping at Kildare Village or seeking to stay close to Dublin, we believe this will add significantly to the county’s tourism and hospitality infrastructure.”

Kildare County Council stated its support: “Kildare has a national and international reputation as the ‘Thoroughbred County’. Already home to three racecourses, the Irish National Stud and a thriving equine industry, the addition of this equine themed, premier accommodation offering will be a significant and positive development.”

Kildare Failte, Kildare’s Tourism Board, has also welcomed the development of the 50-bed hotel.