A landmark hotel and a prime riverside site in Derry are being sold for a total of £6.5m, the Derry News can reveal.

 By Marianne Craig marianne@derrynews.net  The Waterfoot Hotel and the surrounding land, totalling approximately 4.16 acres, is expected to attract attention from developers and hoteliers alike.

Situated at the Waterside end of the Foyle Bridge, the high-profile site has been home to the Waterfoot Hotel and Country Club for around 20 years.

The estate agents handling the sale, Benson & Son of Coleraine, say the site is suitable for residential development subject to planning permission.

However, the existing premises on the land could also be upgraded or further developed into a hotel complex.

The Waterfoot hotel closed suddenly last July.

The 48-bedroom hotel enjoyed significant success during the Troubles when there were no hotels in the city centre.

However, business is believed to have suffered in recent years following the opening of several hotels in the city centre.

The Waterfoot complex also included a swimming pool and a leisure club which had around 300 members when it closed.

The hotel had employed 60 people and is currently owned by Derry businessman Garvan O’Doherty.