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| Court owner rethinks hotel plans | Court owner rethinks hotel plans |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The owner of a former Belfast courthouse damaged in weekend arson attacks has said he cannot afford to develop the building as he planned. | The owner of a former Belfast courthouse damaged in weekend arson attacks has said he cannot afford to develop the building as he planned. |
| Barry Gilligan planned to turn it into a hotel or office complex but said he was now looking for other ideas. | |
| He said he wanted to find an innovative use for the Crumlin Road courthouse, which closed in 1998. | He said he wanted to find an innovative use for the Crumlin Road courthouse, which closed in 1998. |
| Mr Gilligan said he would "work with anyone" to secure its future. | Mr Gilligan said he would "work with anyone" to secure its future. |
| "Both of those schemes have made it clear from the outset that they require significant grant aid - the level of grant aid, particularly for the hotel is not forthcoming," he said. | "Both of those schemes have made it clear from the outset that they require significant grant aid - the level of grant aid, particularly for the hotel is not forthcoming," he said. |
| "So in one sense it is back to the drawing board and it is back to finding some form of innovative use for this building which requires a lesser amount of grant aid. | "So in one sense it is back to the drawing board and it is back to finding some form of innovative use for this building which requires a lesser amount of grant aid. |
| "I'll look at anything I'll work with anyone - I want to secure this building and I want to give this building a future." | "I'll look at anything I'll work with anyone - I want to secure this building and I want to give this building a future." |
| Firefighters tackling fires at the courthouse were attacked by stone throwing youths. | Firefighters tackling fires at the courthouse were attacked by stone throwing youths. |
| Crews were damping down a small fire at the rear of the building on Sunday night when they came under attack. | Crews were damping down a small fire at the rear of the building on Sunday night when they came under attack. |
| It was the third fire at the listed building over the weekend. | It was the third fire at the listed building over the weekend. |
| Ten fire appliances were used to put out a major fire at the building in March of this year. | Ten fire appliances were used to put out a major fire at the building in March of this year. |
| The courthouse was the venue for hundreds of paramilitary trials during the troubles. | The courthouse was the venue for hundreds of paramilitary trials during the troubles. |
| It was purchased by Mr Gilligan, the current Policing Board chairman, who announced plans to transform it into a luxury hotel. | It was purchased by Mr Gilligan, the current Policing Board chairman, who announced plans to transform it into a luxury hotel. |
| Mr Gilligan paid Dunloe Ewart £35,000 for the courthouse, after they bought it for just £1. | |
| The original architect of the Grade B listed building was Sir Charles Lanyon, who was also involved in the construction of some of Belfast's landmark buildings including City Hall, Custom House, Belfast Castle and Queen's University. | The original architect of the Grade B listed building was Sir Charles Lanyon, who was also involved in the construction of some of Belfast's landmark buildings including City Hall, Custom House, Belfast Castle and Queen's University. |