Once a hotel and latterly a popular bar, now 38 Church Place in Lurgan is undergoing a major £900k rebuild after years of dereliction.

Work has already started on the iconic building which was once home to the famous Ceili House Bar.

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This is the proposed elevation, created by McCreanor and Co Architects, for 38 Church Place, Lurgan. Work is underway at the property which has lain derelict for decades following a devastating fire in 2014.

placeholder image — This is the proposed elevation, created by McCreanor and Co Architects, for 38 Church Place, Lurgan. Work is underway at the property which has lain derelict for decades following a devastating fire in 2014.

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Most of the back of the property, which was badly damaged by a fire in April 2014, has been demolished leaving just the historic façade facing onto Church Place.

The 3-storey building, sited on the south side of Church Place, was originally the Commercial Hotel in 1870/1 when it was owned by Charles O’Brien.

It has undergone various ownerships since then including in latter years the Wilton Cross, The Ceili House Bar, The Premier and The Manhatten before sadly a massive blaze destroyed most of the building in 2014.

The former Commercial Hotel, also formerly The Wilton Cross, The Ceili House Bar, The Premier and The Manhatten at Church Place, Lurgan which is currently undergoing a £900k rebuild.

It started life as a 2-story building in the 1800s before it was elevated to 3 storeys around 1870 to serve as The Commercial Court. In the late 1960s/1970s a rear extension was added.

Although the building has lain derelict since the 2014 blaze, it’s prominent place in the town led to it being designated as a high priority project by the Lurgan Townscape Heritage Scheme.

The current owner, MMG Buildings Ltd., came forward to restore this building to the streetscape with plans to create a ground floor retail unit, stores and apartment on the upper floor.

Under the first phase of works supported by the Lurgan Townscape Heritage Scheme and under the guidance of McCreanor and Co Architects, the building will be completed to shell and core stage with the walls, roof, floors, windows, and doors all restored.

An aerial view of 28 Church Place, Lurgan which is being developed with the help of McCreanor and Co Architects and Lurgan Townscape Heritage.

The c.1960s/70s non-historic extension to the rear, which is in extremely poor condition and detracts from the surviving historic fabric, will be removed and replaced with a smaller three storey extension, housing a lift shaft and stairwell, freeing up floor space within the surviving historic front block.

Once this phase is completed the applicant will then fit out the ground floor as a retail unit and apartment on the upper floor under their own resources.

Architect Mr Simon Houston of McCreanor and Co Architect’s said: “This isn’t just a renovation—it’s about stitching history back into the street and giving the town centre the presence it deserves again.”