I would have some concern that students will not take up the hospitality courses in Portrush

Matthew Mullan, Hilton Hotel

The catering college in Portrush has agreed to merge with the University of Ulster.

That will bring the hotel management degree courses from Jordanstown outside Belfast to the north coast - away from the year round high volume hotel and tourism industry which has grown up in the main city .

The Hilton Hotels take between 60 and 100 University of Ulster students for placements and part-time work.

It has joined other hotel and restaurant owners in objecting to the move.

Matthew Mullan: Concerns

General Manager Matthew Mullan said: "The students use the hospitality industry to finance their courses.

"I would have some concern that students will not take up the hospitality courses in Portrush because of the lack of part-time work to finance their courses."

Students have to support themselves through university and some worry they will not take up the undergraduate places.

Student Emma Gordon said: "Whenever I finished my course at Newry Institute I wanted to go to Jordanstown to do my degree, but I heard it had moved to Portrush and I wasn't convinced it was a good place to go."

Tourism body

The college, in throwing in its hat with the university, is dropping some of its craft courses which train the cooks.

The owners of Magherabuoy House Hotel, in Portrush have difficulty recruiting trained chefs and are worried things will get worse, even though other colleges around Northern Ireland will continue that training .

But the university is adamant the change will actually benefit the industry and points to the opening of a cross-border tourism body in nearby Coleraine.

Emma Gordon: "Not convinced"

Univeristy of Ulster Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Richard Barnett said it wanted to establish a centre of exellence in research and consultancy for the industry.

Although the university has made the decision to move the course, and told new students they will be taught in Portrush from next September, the Department of Employment and Learning has still to begin a promised consultation on the merger.

That is not due to begin until the new year and in the meantime the university continues with its plans to relocate .