Tullamore Dew centre plans approved

Plans submitted by William Grant and Sons looking to renovate the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre and make it a destination for up to 40,000 tourists annually look set to come to pass. Council planners gave the project the stamp of approval on February 6 and if no appeals are made in relation to the decision official planning permission will be issued on March 5. A four storey cylindrical stairway styled around the idea of a giant ageing barrel is to be the main feature of the renovated centre. Plans also include a ground floor auditorium and a top floor bar with tasting tables. A 112 square metre extension to the south of the current building is also planned to include new boiler and plant rooms, a liftshaft and two new stairways. Already a popular tourist destination, the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre closed its doors in anticipation of renovation works on the final day of November last. Plans were submitted to Tullamore Town Council for the work at the beginning of December, and attracted no submissions between then and now. Planning permission given to the project includes six conditions. Included in these conditions is that existing or locally sourced stone is to be used on the project and that all work undertaken should retain the maximum amount of surviving historic fabric and features already in situ in the building. It is hoped the new visitor centre will re-open to tourists by late summer.