Clover Group calls for planning timelines

The Clover Group, a Belfast based pub business, which operates six bars throughout the City Centre has welcomed the Northern Ireland Executive’s five step plan to protect the public and re-open the economy but has called for potential timings to enable vital planning across a range of logistical and business operations.

Having closed its doors in mid-March Clover which, employs 180 people, has said its plans for a phased approach to open specific venues is based on seasonal factors with the need to plan for staff levels, training, supply chains and cost management.

At the time of its formation Clover outlined ambitious plans to rejuvenate a number of Belfast bars, with the Group breathing new life into White’s, the city’s oldest tavern, in October 2019. The Group has invested £3m across its portfolio of bars over the last two years.

Run by experienced publicans Mark Beirne, Jim Conlon, Paul Langsford and Andrew Maxwell, Clover manages and operates Margot’s on Donegal Square East, Fountain Lane, White’s Tavern and Henry’s and The Jailhouse off High Street.

Mark Beirne, Director of Clover Group, said: “We fully understand the need for, and welcome, the commitments given by the Northern Ireland Executive to put public health at the top of its agenda and our approach to re-opening will strictly adhere to social distancing guidance. We know that customers will want and expect a new and different experience in our venues, as society adapts to the changes created by COVID 19. We have developed plans that have sought to deliver this in a way that is experiential for our customers, innovatively looking at how we can use our internal and external space across our footprint of bars throughout the city.

“To further develop our plans it is key that we have a gauge of timelines, when that is possible, to prepare and train our staff, ensure we can deliver on the required logistics both internally and externally, have our supply chains and funding in place with all of this being dependent on the seasonal time of year that the sector is in a position to re-open.

“We recognise the unprecedented challenges that our policy makers face as they seek to balance the public health and the worsening economic fallout. It is for this reason that we are calling on the Executive to provide a guideline to timing of the five stage plan, albeit subject to change, which will help preparations, manage staffing expectations and costs. As we emerge from the challenges of COVID-19 we look forward, at some point in the future, to having all our six bars operational and maintaining the same level of staff.”

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