THE Magherafelt-based Oakleaf Group has acquired the popular Hagan’s Bar in Dungannon for an undisclosed sum.
A mainstay in the heart of Dungannon for more than half a century, the bar has been in the Hagan family since 1969 when it was purchased by Dominic and May Hagan. Their son Paul and his wife Briege took over the reins in 1990 and have since invested significantly in the property to grow it into a 500+ capacity venue.
Speaking of the company’s latest acquisition, Oakleaf Managing Director Patrick Scullion said: “Hagan’s is one of Tyrone’s longest-running and most popular family bars and we are delighted to add it to our portfolio of venues in the Mid-Ulster region and beyond.
“We already have a very strong footprint in Cookstown, so when the opportunity arose to acquire such a prestigious venue in neighbouring Dungannon, it seemed a very logical and exciting move for the company.
“Plans are already in the pipeline for a major refurbishment of the bar and associated beer garden with food being added to enhance the existing offering, but we’ll share those details in due course,” he added.
Former owner Paul Hagan paid tribute to the bar’s staff and customers and said that the bar is now in ‘safe hands’.
“We have enjoyed many years at the top of our game and we are very proud of that,” said Paul, “but we couldn’t have done it without the fantastic staff that we had over the years, and of course all our wonderful customers. The Oakleaf Group has a wealth of experience in the hospitality business and I have no doubt we are leaving it in very safe and capable hands.”
Work is nearing completion on another Oakleaf venue, The 40 Thieves, on the site of what was once The Central Inn in Cookstown. The Irish-American style pub promises to give patrons ‘a taste of the 19th century Big Apple’ and is set to open its doors on Saturday October 5th.
In addition, eight new serviced apartments, above and to the rear of The 40 Thieves, will also be released for Airbnb rental in October. This is the first phase of a ‘town centre living’ initiative to help revitalise William Street – with another 15 apartments currently being built on the site.
Headquartered just outside Magherafelt, with offices in Dublin and Manchester, The Oakleaf Group employs approximately 280 people across its various enterprises, which include Specialist Interiors, Property Development and Hospitality Divisions.
The Group opened its first entertainment venue, TIME Bar & Venue, in Cookstown in 2012 and now operates a total of seven venues in Northern Ireland, including Clubland, Cookstown, and The Harp and Fiddle in Strabane.
