Antrim Arms demolished: Wrecking ball swings into historic hotel that dates back to 1750s in Ballycastle, after devastating arson attack
After standing over Co Antrim for almost three centuries, a historic hotel has been demolished in what has been described as the loss of an important piece of architectural and social history.
Earlier this year an arson attack saw a devastating fire rip through the Antrim Arms Hotel in Ballycastle, which had long since fallen into disuse but locals had hoped would one day be restored to its former glory.
Parts of the building dated back to the 1750s, leading to it being officially protected with officials praising it as “a rare example of a mid-18th century inn, which, externally at least, has been relatively well preserved”.
Now the bulldozers have moved in, clearing away what was left of the structure after the arson in April.
The building was in a prominent position on the Diamond in Ballycastle, a short distance from the town’s seafront.
During the blaze, 42 firefighters, two aerial appliances and a command support unit were at the scene, while local residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed as clouds of smoke blanketed the town. Once a bustling coaching inn, it later became one of the area’s best-known hotels while its prominent corner location made it a familiar landmark for locals and tourists alike.
April’s arson attack followed on the heels of two blazes in listed buildings in February and one in March. The four incidents led charity Ulster Architectural Heritage to hit out at Northern Ireland’s politicians, accusing them of not recognising “the value and irreplaceability of a country’s built heritage assets”.