One of the country’s best known five-star hotels, Francis and John Brennan’s Park Hotel in Kenmare, Co Kerry, is to stay open for business in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
John Brennan confirmed that following a staff meeting at the hotel on Monday, the business would remain open. The hotel had 36 paying guests staying on Monday night.
“This isn’t about making money. It is about looking after the people who have looked after us for many years – our staff, ” Mr Brennan said.
“It would be much easier to close the doors of the hotel, and say that ‘we’re closed’. But that would have a horrendous impact on the mental, physical and financial well being of our staff.”
The co-presenter of the Brennan brothers’ At Your Service RTÉ show for 11 seasons said: “We’re going to lose money hand over fist, but this is about keeping a financial flow for staff and giving a service to tourists.”
The majority shareholder in the business said that the hotel had 62 people on the pay-roll last week. “No one wants to be out of work.”
Mr Brennan said that the majority of guests at the hotel on Monday were Irish, and that the industry had a duty of care to tourists. “They can’t be just dumped out on the street.”
