Bakery chain Greggs has moved one step closer to opening its first drive-thru in Northern Ireland after a planning application for a new branch in Co Armagh was recommended for approval.

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The four-star golf resort and country club in Ballyconnell, once formed the showpiece of former billionaire Seán Quinn’s business empire in the Fermanagh and Cavan border region.

The asking price for the hotel, which sits in a 300-acre country estate, is higher than previously reported but is still expected to trigger a bidding war between Irish and international investors.

Cavan-born businessman and one-time Irish presidential candidate Sean Gallagher is expected to be among the bidders.

However, he maintained he would only progress the offer with Sean Quinn’s blessing.

The Slieve Russell has been under control of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) since 2011.

It has remained profitable and around €7.5m has been invested in upgrading the resort since 2019.

With capacity for up to 1,000 guests, the 224-bedroom hotel remains a popular choice for weddings and events in the border region.

Opened in 1990, the Ballyconnell resort features 50 acres of lakes and is considered one of the island’s best parkland golf courses.

Designed by Patrick Merrigan, its 18-hole championship course is one of just eight PGA national-designated resorts in the world.

Commenting on the Slieve Russell listing, Paul Collins, who heads CBRE’s hotel division said: “This is a rare opportunity to acquire one of Irelands best known and highly profitable resort hotels.

“The scale of ongoing investment in the hotel’s facilities and its growing business will appeal to the national and international investment market.”

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The group, which owns restaurants including Brewers Fayre and Beefeater, said the job cuts are still subject to consultation and come from its total UK workforce of 37,000 employees.

It said the move was part of a plan to “optimise” its food and drink offering to add more than 3,500 hotel rooms across its estate and increase “operational efficiencies”.

There are currently eight Premier Inn Hotels across Northern Ireland and nine in the Republic.

A ninth 81-bed Premier Inn Hotel is currently being progressed by Co Armagh firm JH Turkington next to Belfast International Airport.

Whitbread said it plans to sell 126 of its less profitable branded restaurants, with 21 sales already having gone through.

It will also convert 112 restaurants into new hotel rooms.

Dominic Paul, Whitbread chief executive, said: “We recognise that our transition will impact some of our team members so we will be providing support throughout this process and we are committed to working hard to enable as many as possible of those affected to remain with us.”

The FTSE 100 company announced pre-tax profit of £452m for the year ending February 29, up 21% on the year before.

The company’s total food and beverage sales were up only 7% year on year, driven mainly by breakfasts in the restaurant chain.

Food and beverage sales were down 2% for the seven weeks to April 18, the most recent period on record.

As a result, Whitbread said the cost-cutting programme will save about £150m over the next three years.

Whitbread also said it will offer a £150m stock buy-back to shareholders in the next six months and increase dividend payments by 26% this year.

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Owners Christina and Jonny Taylor cited the financial strains of operating the restaurant, including escalating wages and the rising costs of local produce in making Blank financially unviable and the venue will close its doors in June this year.

Christina and Jonny also operate Shed Bistro on the Ormeau Road in the city and Christina spoke of her regret having to take the difficult decision on Blank.

“We took a gamble in October 2021 with the opening of Blank which was a new dining concept for a restaurant in Northern Ireland and for more than two years it has worked. However the ever increasing cost of doing business and the amount of staff we need on site simply renders Blank unviable. The cumulative pressure has become too much and we feel we need to redesign the restaurant offer at that site.

“The margins in operating such a fine dining restaurant are very finely balanced. While we have always been very busy at weekends, it has been more difficult to attract customers midweek and far too often we get last minute cancellations, often of more than one table.

“When that happens it makes that days trading unviable. I really hope customers take this on board, and give a restaurant booking the same status and respect that goes with a theatre or a concert booking.

“Blank will remain open until June 8th and I urge anyone who wants to have the Blank experience to do so. All Blank vouchers should be used in that period too.”

“All of the staff from Blank will be transitioning to our new restaurant which we are determined to make a success. Unlike Blank, this new venue will offer a more casual and accessible dining experience with an order-from-the-menu concept. The Blank experience is hard to accept but we will be part of the restaurant scene in Belfast and in Northern Ireland for the long term.”

Tables for Blank’s new restaurant, which is yet to be named, will be available to book from Friday 3rd May.

The new restaurant will continue using local produce, offering a more relaxed dining experience that celebrates the best of Ireland’s culinary bounty.

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A pub and restaurant in Co Armagh has been put up for sale after the death of its owner

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