New hotel willcreate 40 jobs

The development at The Hedges restaurant will see a new 16 bedroom hotel and a doubling in size of the existing function room to create a luxurious complex which, it is hoped, will provide a major boost to tourism in the North Antrim area.

The hotel which has family rooms and a bridal suite is partly built and will be completed in the Spring of next year. A further 15 rooms will be added in the future along with a Spa and leisure facilities .

The existing restaurant and function room which first opened in 2005 and subsequently closed when planning permission was granted for a dog track is being doubled in size to accommodate up to 200 guests.

It will open at the end of this month and, already, four weddings have been booked for next year such is the interest in the project.

The man behind the development, Ivan McCook, who is highly respected in the building industry, has invested a considerable sum to ensure that the Hedges premises are second to none and he also plans to further promote tourism in the area by dovetailing