Murtagh’s Bar & Guesthouse, 13-15 North Street,

The property has been lovingly developed, run and cared for within the Murtagh family for over 100 years, and is a well established centre of the community of Crossmaglen.

The subject property comprises three parts:
• A substantial ten bedroom guesthouse
• Murtagh’s Bar
• A one bedroom apartment

The property benefits from dual frontage onto North Street and Newry Street and occupies a large site in the town. From a two storey property on North Street, the property merges into a three storey property as Newry Street slopes down the hill. This split level has been excellently utilised, as per the detailed descriptions in the following pages.

The property is in excellent condition and could be immediately operational as is, or with minimal redecoration/ refurbishment.

We would like to make interested parties aware that the guesthouse has not been run to full capacity as per the owner’s preference. The guesthouse has relied solely on word of mouth and repeat bookings over the years, and so Murtagh’s has never been advertised on any booking platforms.

Should a new owner decide to create a website for the guesthouse or create listings on platforms such as Booking.com / Airbnb.com etc, we would imagine there would be exponential growth in bookings and profits.

We note that due to the above, not all rooms are registered with Northern Ireland Tourism Board.

LICENCE

The bar benefits from a Full Liquor License.

The opening hours permitted under the licence are:
11.30am–11.30pm

The bar currently opens the following hours:
Monday to Friday 4–11pm
Saturday & Sunday 12noon–11pm

MURTAGH’S BAR
Murtagh’s occupies a corner site in the village, with tasteful signage and frontage onto both North Street and Newry Street.

The interior has been lovingly refurbished over the last few years and is in impeccable condition. The property consists of a front bar/snug, a rear bar and ‘The Tearoom’; a pretty dining/bar area at the rear.

Due to the split floor level, the bar benefits from basement space which has been well utilised for the keg store, refrigerated store and ancillary storage space.

Accessed directly from North Street, the front bar consists of a cosy bar/snug which has been decorated traditionally with a contemporary touch. The bar could comfortably sit 30 patrons between high level bar seating and low level booth/table seating. The front bar benefits from an accessible bathroom.

Between the front and rear bar is a side entrance to Newry Street, currently only used as a fire exit, however was formerly used as an entrance for off sales. This entrance leads to both bars and uniquely, has a traditional hatch for off licence sales.

The rear bar is more spacious, with seating for circa 35 patrons across high bar seating and booth/table seating. This rear bar is decorated in a similar style to the front bar and has beautiful, traditional coffered ceilings.

Up a small flight of stairs from the rear bar is ‘The Tearoom’ where there is seating for around 18 patrons.

This area is fitted out with glass windows overlooking the main bar and is tastefully decorated with table seating and a log burning stove. We understand breakfast has been served in ‘The Tearoom’ over the years.

There are modern male and female bathrooms just beyond this area.

The main entrance to the guesthouse is accessible from North Street, with a secondary access onto Newry Street. The guesthouse comprises two formerly individual dwellings which have been merged at first floor level at the rear of the North Street property.

Should it be desired, the layout of the property would be relatively straightforward to split, creating the following:
• Murtagh’s Bar
• North Street: Five bedroom dwelling with kitchen/dining room, two reception rooms and two bathrooms.
• Newry Street: Five bedroom dwelling with a living room, kitchen and two bathrooms.
• Newry Street: One bedroom ground floor apartment.

The main entrance on North Street opens into a beautiful porch with double doors and stained glass windows, providing access to the first floor and leading to a lounge and the kitchen/sitting room. The lounge is at the front of the house and is well proportioned with a feature fireplace. The kitchen/dining room/lounge is an open plan room at the rear of the house which serves as the
hub of the house. The kitchen provides access to both the front and rear bar, where food can be brought through to the bar/tearoom for breakfast service.

All bedrooms are accessed from first floor level, where there are the following spread across the North Street and Newry Street properties:
• One single bedroom, six double bedrooms and two family bedrooms.
• All bedrooms are in very good order, with a bed, dresser, mirror and beside drawers.
• Four bathrooms across the guesthouse which serve all bedrooms.
• Two kitchens
• Three living rooms

The apartment is located on Newry Street and was formerly a retail unit, evidenced by the remaining shop front. The property was converted into residential use a number of years ago and is now a compact, modern one bedroom apartment.

The apartment is currently tenanted at £530 pcm.

We understand this apartment could potentially revert back to a retail unit if desired, subject to obtaining all necessary planning approvals and consents.

From a review of Land & Property Services website, we understand the rates to be as below:

Murtagh’s Bar (13-15 North St) – Rates Payable – £3,773
Murtagh’s Guesthouse (11a North St) – Rates Payable – £1,828

NI Small Business Rate Relief
*Under NI Small Business Rate Relief, business properties with a NAV of more than £5,000 but not more than £15,000 should receive a 20% rate relief.
**Under NI Small Business Rate Relief, business properties with a NAV of more than £2,000 but not more than £5,000 should receive a 25% rate relief.

All prices, outgoings and rentals are exclusive of, but may be liable to VAT.

Stamp duty will be the liability of the purchaser.

The property has an Energy Efficiency rating of C61. The full Certificate can be made available upon request.

Price on Application.

Please get in contact with Lynn Taylor for more information;

T: 02890 501 501

M: 07813 020 181

E: ltaylor@lisney-belfast.com