Derelict pub building in Tipperary Town is set to be used for community purposes

A derelict pub in Tipperary Town is set to be used for community purposes once the building is restored.

It has been purchased by Tipp Town Revitalisation and Tipperary County Council.

The move has been welcomed by Cllr Annemarie Ryan.

"Many of you will know that I have a keen interest in vacancy and dereliction. As part of my work with Tipp Town Revitalisation and the CTCHC (Collaborative Town Centre Health Check), I've been recording vacant / derelict properties in Tipperary town and surrounds.
One such property is the former Liz's Bar on Main Street. It's a beautiful building with huge potential, right in the heart of Tipp town but sadly has fallen into dereliction.(except for the section known as Kebab Zone). I set about tracking down the owner of the property; the folio was with a receiver. Anyone who has dealt with receivers knows this is not an easy task but after a few months, many phone calls/emails and a determination not to give up I found a contact within the finance company who was willing to sell the property.
Tipp Town Revitalisation and Tipperary County Council
applied for funding under the Building Acquisition Measure (through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme) The application was successful, enabling us to purchase the property.

The funding has specific conditions as to the building's use: It must have a community purpose and it cannot be used for accommodation. There are many ideas that need further exploration; we need more office space (Digital Hub is full), we don't have any bakery in town, (could it be run as a social enterprise?) Creative Places Tipperary Town needs a home as do many of the crafters in our midst. The use must be long term and sustainable.
Right now we are applying for funding to carry out works to restore the front facade of the building, which contains many beautiful features that need attention.

Michael Begley, Tipp Town Revitalisation Project Manager worked tirelessly to get this building over the line, the timeline was very tight and it was not an easy building to buy. I'm very grateful to him for his trojan work, and also to Tipp County Council who supported the application to purchase not one but two vacant buildings in Tipp town. 
There's a lot of work to do now but I hope this is another step in revitalising Tipp town and restoring the Main Street to its former glory. I know many people will be happy to see this building brought back to life, not least its former owners who greatly cared about Liz's Bar," said Cllr Ryan.