A public meeting will take place at Bushypark School Hall next Wednesday (July 12 ) at 8pm to update the residents of Newcastle and Bushypark on the future of the Westwood Hotel.
It follows the public meeting on April 7 where it was announced the hotel was to be redeveloped into student accommodation.
A spokesperson for Save The Westwood Campaign described the decision to convert the Westwood Hotel to student accommodation as a "huge loss to the area which would impact residents who live close by".
He said: "The Westwood Hotel is a huge amenity for the area. Apart from the hotel there is no other place to go for lunch or pint between here and Moycullen.
"[The conversion] will be especially tough for elderly people in this community as they would go to the Westwood for lunch and for socialising. It is easily accessible for people from Newcastle and Bushypark. With it gone, there is nowhere to go unless you head into the city centre or out to Moycullen."
Hotelier and publican Terry Sweeney sold the business to the Ziggurat Student Investment Fund Unit Trust which specialises in student accommodation. However, management has given staff assurances that it will continue to operate as a hotel until early 2018.
CEO of Ziggurat Student Investment Fund Unit Trust, Matthew McAdden, said the company was looking forward to working with NUI Galway, the local council, and residents “to deliver an attractive scheme for this property” when the sale was confirmed back in February.
