Belfast Hotel shuts temporarily following ‘serious’ health and safety concerns

The Lansdowne Hotel in Belfast has been closed indefinitely following “serious health and safety concerns.”

The hotel, which is owned by budget chain Metro Inns, closed immediately following an environmental inspection that found ‘serious’ issues. Staff were then told at an emergency meeting that the hotel will not open until a “major refurbishment” had been completed.

All staff at the hotel have lost their jobs until the refurbishment is completed. Metro Inns said renovations had been due to take place later this year, but have been “brought forward” following the concerns identified.

A statement from Metro Inns said: “On 11 April the Lansdowne Hotel called an emergency meeting with all staff members to inform them that effective immediately the hotel would be shut for major refurbishment.

“This refurbishment was originally scheduled for early summer but had to be brought forward due to immediate health and safety concerns following a recent environmental inspection.

“Due to the seriousness of the safety issues involved, extensive investigations and work will have to be carried out and as such, it is impossible to judge the length of closure of the business. Due to this, all staff have to be laid off and when the hotel reopens for operation, those staff members will automatically be contacted to resume their duties.

“The Northern Ireland regional director has suffered from serious ill health and this has had an impact on the level of standard at the Lansdowne Hotel. Due to the director’s ongoing issues, they will step down formally from their role and will not be continuing at the Lansdowne Hotel in the future.

“At this time, it is not known if the Lansdowne Hotel, when reopened, will operate under its former Metro Inns banner.”