Jennie’s new pantry right on the nose for food shoppers

The move is the latest in the developing trend in Northern Ireland that’s seen a growth in the popularity among shoppers of smaller groceries majoring on locally produced food and drink from farms and artisan producers.

The new Parson’s Pantry is next door to the restaurant which is owned by Balloo Inns, one of Northern Ireland’s most successful hospitality groups. It also follows a similar move by the group to create Poacher’s Pantry, a specialist food and drink store, at its Poacher’s Pocket restaurant near Killinchy.

“We had been running a successful artisan food and wine pantry at The Poacher’s Pocket in Lisbane for a few years, and had always felt that it was a concept that would replicate well in Hillsborough” says owner Jennie Sweeney, who runs the Balloo House Group with husband Ronan.

“We have converted the little front pub at Parson’s into the Pantry while pub drinking restrictions remain in place, with dining running as normal in the restaurant. 

“We already source the best local produce we can find for our restaurant kitchens, and so by creating a pantry shop at the Parson’s Nose in Hillsborough, our customers can now get their hands on this great local produce to take home,” adds Jennie

She says that when lockdown happened, the chefs were quick to develop a Gastropub at Home range of restaurant quality dishes to reheat at home such as Fisherman’s Pie, Slow Cooked Beef Cheek Pappardelle and Smoked Haddock Rarebit with Greens and Baby Boiled Potatoes.  The initiative proved hugely successful with people in the Hillsborough area.

They also offer a supply of fresh fish, Hannan’s dry-aged steaks with their own sauces, and freshly baked breads, sausage rolls, scones and sweet treats. The fact that the pantry is attached to the pub means that JN Wines are also for sale. The initiative proved very popular and helped the business through “an immensely challenging time”.

Jennie continues: “If our customers support the Parson’s Pantry and tell us they want it to remain a permanent feature long term, we’ll find a way to make sure it stays!”

In addition to the Parson’s Nose and Poacher’s Pocket restaurants, the group owns Balloo House at Killinchy, a former coaching that’s become a charming and historic country pub and restaurant and the only pub in Northern Ireland to be awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Balloo House also features Overwood, a fine dining restaurant and a £150,000 investment that also specialises in the best of local produce especially seafood from Strangford Lough. The lough produces plump langoustines described by celebrity chef and broadcaster James Martin as among the world’s best.

The group has a longstanding record of successful innovation is the local hospitality sector. Jennie and Ronan were acclaimed for their” remarkable contribution to the industry” and awarded one of the most prestigious awards at the Georgina Campbell Awards last year in Dublin.

They were presented with the ‘Hospitality Hero’ award for exceptional individuals in Irish Food and Hospitality, the final award of the highly-respected ceremony for the industry hosted by Irish food expert Georgina Campbell. Georgina praised: “The contribution that Ronan and Jennie Sweeney have made to standards in hospitality, and especially in the casual dining sector, is remarkable.

“Their ambition, when they took over the famous 19th century coaching inn Balloo House in Killinchy in 2004, was to restore its reputation as one of the finest country dining pubs in Northern Ireland. They achieved this with spectacular success – and it was just the beginning… There is also The Poacher’s Pocket, with its terrific Poacher’s Pantry selling top quality meat, fish and game in season as well as bakery, deli products and premium drinks.

“And the charming Parson’s Nose in Hillsborough, which was given the Sweeney gold dust treatment, emerged as an even more impressive old-meets-new dining destination last year.

“The three Balloo Inns sum up all that is best about Northern Ireland food and hospitality for many regular visitors, and they have become the benchmark for

quality.

The group employs over 100 people at its three establishments. It also supports the work of Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS).

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