Solution needed to unlock Ballycastle town centre regeneration, says McGuigan

The former Antrim Arms Hotel in Ballycastle town centre

Seventeen months on, a closed street and an unresolved building safety issue are now threatening the future of a £2million investment designed to rejuvenate Ballycastle town centre.

Sinn Féin MLA for North Antrim, Philip McGuigan, has called for urgent collaboration between the owner of the Antrim Arms and statutory organisations to address structural safety and planning concerns that have left Fairhill Street closed — and regeneration plans in limbo.

Mr McGuigan was speaking after presenting a petition to the Northern Ireland Assembly entitled ‘An Urgent Call for Action on Fairhill Street, Ballycastle’.

He said the prolonged closure is no longer just a safety matter, but a growing economic and community crisis.

“The prolonged closure of Fairhill Street has had a profound and continuing impact, restricting traffic and pedestrian access through the town centre and placing an unacceptable burden on local residents, the wider community, local businesses, and the economic vitality of the town,” he said.

(L-R) North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan, local residents Julie Donnelly and Claire Parker who organised the petition, and councillor for The Glens, Cara McShane.

Both local residents who initiated and drove the petition

According to the petitioners, the situation has created “uncertainty and hardship” for traders, residents and visitors — alongside safety concerns for children attending the local Gaelscoil.

Mr McGuigan added:

“The petitioners have said the ongoing situation has created uncertainty and hardship for traders, residents, and visitors, and safety issues for children attending the local Gaelscoil.

“Progress toward a permanent resolution has been insufficiently transparent and inadequately communicated to the local community.

The Antrim Arms in Ballycastle (Tuesday 24 February 2026). Video: Anne Kelly

“After 17 months residents and traders in Ballycastle deserve answers and progress on the issues. The safety concerns of the Antrim Arms building is having a detrimental impact on Ballycastle.

“And that impact is now going beyond the safety concerns and disruption; with work on the planned £2million public realm scheme investment to rejuvenate Ballycastle town centre being halted.”

The public realm scheme — intended to breathe new life into the town centre — had been scheduled for completion by 2027. However, its future now hinges on the unresolved issues surrounding the Antrim Arms building.

“This is a much-needed scheme designed to breathe new life in Ballycastle which was scheduled to complete by 2027 but now its future is very much dependent on the Antrim Arms issue being resolved,” Mr McGuigan said.

“We cannot allow that to happen. The owners and statutory organisations need to work together to come up with a solution to address structural safety and planning concerns of the Antrim Arms in order to progress the regeneration of Ballycastle town centre.”

Local councillor for The Glens, Cara McShane, welcomed the discussion at the Assembly and echoed calls for swift intervention.

“It is encouraging to see this issue tabled at the Assembly this morning,” she said.

“There needs to be urgent intervention from the relevant authorities to address the disruption being caused.

“Residents have been more than patient, and it is simply not acceptable that the centre of the town continues to suffer because these problems remain unresolved.”

With regeneration funding paused and frustration growing among traders and residents, pressure is mounting for a coordinated solution. Until structural and planning concerns surrounding the Antrim Arms are addressed, the future of Ballycastle’s town centre transformation remains uncertain.