Cookstown hotel limits activities after St Patrick’s Day crush tragedy

A Co Tyrone hotel outside which three teenagers died in a crush will limit itself to weddings and private functions, a council committee has heard.

Lauren Bullock, 17, Morgan Barnard, 17, and 16-year-old Connor Currie died near the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown, on St Patrick’s Day last month.

The tragedy happened as a disco took place inside the venue.

More than 600 people had gathered outside the hotel before the crush, police said.

Mid-Ulster Council’s Environment Committee met in a private session on Tuesday evening to consider the entertainment licence of the venue.

In a statement issued after the meeting, it emerged the hotel has proposed to restrict its entertainment activity to weddings and private functions only.

“Given the tragic events which occurred at the Greenvale Hotel, the Environment Committee, as the licensing authority, met this evening to undertake a review of the premises’ entertainment licence,” the committee said.

“The committee has sought, and the licensee has agreed to provide health and safety risk assessments and associated documentation.

“In the interim period, the hotel has proposed to restrict its entertainment activity to weddings and private functions only. The hotel will provide the council with two months’ notice of any proposed variation of this position.

“The committee has, therefore, agreed to defer considerations until October when the licence is due for renewal. The committee, however, reserves the right to review the entertainment licence at any stage prior to renewal.”