Fix it up: Youghal’s olde seaside hotel is ready for its makeover

Interlinked listed buildings ready to be brought back to life The former Marine Guesthouse in Youghal, Co Cork An upper floor in the Marine Guesthouse with partition walls A corridor shows plaster missing One of the upstairs room with a bay window The bar portion of the property opens on Saturday and Sunday Evenings What is it? Two interlinked, listed Victorian houses on Youghal’s waterfront which once contained The Marine Guest House, had their heyday as a seaside boarder in the 1950s. While the guest house closed many years ago, the bar has remained open. The 15 bedroom complex would suit conversion to a grand residence. Tell me more about the place… The Marine Bar on Upper Strand still opens Friday and Saturday evenings, where a few loyal patrons sip pints and take in the sea views and sunsets in one of east Cork’s famous old seaside resorts. There was a time when trainloads would spend the weekend paddling, necking candy floss and heading to Perks Funfair (long gone) before dropping into The Marine for the deft boogie-woogie piano of co-proprietor Brian Sheehan, a former member of local 1960s beat group The Shandells. Youghal is now less resort and more Cork city dormitory. The houses offer 5,000sq ft of potential living accommodation. The bar portion of the property opens on Saturday and Sunday Evenings The bad news? The next owner will need buckets of cash and resolve in spades. These two old Victorian ladies will prove highly demanding – possibly needing a new roof, flooring and ceilings in parts, and significant plasterwork restoration. Plus a rewire, replumb and a head-to-toe refurbish. These buildings are protected structures, so all the above would be subject to an engineer’s report and the usual guidelines adhered to for such buildings. A corridor shows plaster missing And the good news? The houses have been underpinned of late, so one potentially very expensive remedy can be ticked off. On top of this, most of the period detailing is intact, such as the original staircases and chimney pieces, plus some lovely stained glass. The ground floor is in relatively good condition, having been in constant use as a bar in order to keep the licence active. They could be re-divided into two separate houses, so a potential buyer could refurbish both and sell one on. An upper floor in the Marine Guesthouse with partition walls How much to buy it? Offers in the vicinity of €375,000 are being sought. And to fix it up? A prospective owner would want access to funds in the neighbourhood of €500,000, but refurbishing buildings of this size and age can throw up surprises. One of the upstairs room with a bay window What will I end up with? One very large Victorian residence with sea views, only a couple of minutes’ walk from the beach. Or two relatively substantial refurbished Victorian semis. The opening of the Youghal to Midleton greenway has attracted a new kind of trade. A boutique hotel/residence has been mentioned. Who should I talk to? Agent Adrianna Hegarty (021) 463 9411 holds the keys to seaside adventure for those who want to make their castle on the beach.