Co Down pub owners leave 'great memories' as they sell up
Nightspot has been a part of the village for over 100 years, according to the proprietors
The owners of a popular Co Down pub have paid tribute to the “great memories” made there as they put the bar up for sale.
Joanne Mullen and her husband Seamie have owned and managed Milly Doyle’s bar and restaurant in Hilltown for over 20 years, and have decided to move on to new opportunities.
Minny Doyles is on the market for offers over £350,000 and has a kitchen, beer garden and a cocktail bar.
The pub has a history going back over 100 years in Hilltown, and Mrs Mullen remembers it forming a part of her own youth in the village.
Minny Doyle's has recently been fully redecorated.
"It would’ve been somewhere we went when we were young, and we have great memories of it,” she told the Belfast Telegraph.
"It’s been part of Hilltown for a long time.
"Me and my husband had always wanted to run a bar, and I was working at it when my brother owned it. The opportunity to own it came up.”
The pub trade has seen some challenging times in recent years, but Joanne said trade has been improving lately.
She said people were “relieved” to get out of the house after the Covid-19 lockdowns, and despite initial “scepticism” about going back to pubs, she said “it’s really coming back to what it was.”
Minny Doyle's has hosted many local events in recent years.
Word has got around Hilltown already about the Mullens’ desire to move on, and Joanne said people have been encouraging.
“People in our wee village have been very supportive. When you manage a bar it nearly becomes associated with you. But I’m sure the same will happen for whoever takes it over next.”
Joanne says that she and Seamie will aim to take on a less time-consuming role in their next endeavour, compared to the day-to-day stress of running a bar.
She hopes that Minny Doyles stays an important part of the local community, just as it was for her when she was growing up.
"Whoever takes it over will have their own ideas, just like we did all those years ago. I hope they make memories as good as we have.”
Mrs Mullen says that she and her husband have made “very good friends” through running the pub. A particular highlight was the role they played in the village’s revival of the Boley Fair.
Minny Doyle's has been owned by Joanne and Seamie Mullen for over 20 years.
The festival had been launched in the 1980s, but had been dormant for a decade in 2004 when a group of locals decided to revive it.
Seamie would become chair of the festival, which saw parades of people in traditional dress, photo exhibitions, and events in local establishments including Minny Doyles.
"It was a great get-together,” remembers Joanne, “seeing people come from all around the local area, all over Ireland, to Hilltown”.
The sale of the property is being managed by property agent Clive Power and The Property Experts. The listing describes it as a “great opportunity” for new owners and a chance to “grow the already well-established business and create something special moving forward."
The bar has been part of life in Hilltown for many decades
The venue hosts live bands on Saturday nights, as well as hosting a games room with darts and pool.
The pub has recently been fully redecorated on the inside. It has held a five-star hygiene rating for the last three years and “all fire, electrical, gas etc certificate requirements are up to date and compliant.”
The buyer will receive the full contents of the property, including the seating and tables, the full contents of the oven including the ovens and fridges, and the CCTV and alarm systems.
A full liquor licence for seven-day trading is also part of the sale.
There have been other major pub sales so far this year, with McKenna’s Bar in the Sailortown area of Belfast bought by Ben Madigan’s Bar & Kitchen in March. And in May, Magherafelt-based The Oakleaf Group bought the Central Inn in Cookstown.
