The demolition of a derelict listed Georgian building in Ballycastle has prompted an investigation by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

The former Antrim Arms Hotel, located on the corner of Castle Street and Fairhill Street, was torn down earlier this week. The council said it is assessing whether the extent of the demolition matched proposals submitted by the owner.

The Department for Communities said it was not consulted and had no record of any planning approval for the works. As a statutory consultee, the department advised that any works should be limited to the minimum measures required to address specific structural instabilities.

The building had been cordoned off for over a year because of safety concerns, with shipping containers placed outside to protect pedestrians during the annual Ould Lammas Fair. In January 2025, a judge acknowledged the site was dangerous, but a demolition application had been refused last year.

On 21 April 2026, the department wrote to the owner stressing that urgent works must be strictly necessary to make the building safe, avoid unnecessary loss of historic fabric, and be agreed with both the council and the department.

Sinn Féin councillor Cara McShane said there had been an understanding that significant demolition would take place, but the building's complete removal has caused sadness in the community. Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland described the loss as heartbreaking and said party colleagues were liaising with council officers.

John Anderson of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society said he was deeply disappointed by the demolition, calling it a loss of nearly 300 years of history overnight. He said the society would have preferred to see the building repaired.

Local business owner Ciaran Dallat said it was shocking to see the rubble, and while the building had become an eyesore, it was sad to lose a historic structure.