The Botanic Inn is now sold to former owner Stephen Magorrian

SIX Belfast bars owned by a Northern Ireland company have been sold.

Administrators KPMG said it had “successfully completed a sale of the venues traded by Botanic Inns Limited”.

The bars have been bought by Horatio Enterprises and Horatio Inns, also known as the Horatio Group.

The two companies are controlled by Stephen Magorrian, who was the former managing director of Botanic Inns Ltd.

KPMG said 300 jobs will be transferred to the new owners.

Seven other bars are still being run by the administrators, who said they were confident of selling them in due course.

The businesses which have been sold are the Botanic Inn, Madisons Hotel, the Kings Head, the Northern Whig, the Elms and the Fly.

Botanic Inns former managing director Stephen Magorrian

The six businesses still being run by the administrators are: the Apartment, the Kitchen Bar, McHugh’s, the Parador, Molly Browns, Denvirs and Ryans Bar.

The joint administrators John Hansen and Stuart Irwin said they were confident of achieving a successful sale of these venues in due course and also securing the continued employment of the remaining 300 plus staff.

The company grew into Northern Ireland’s biggest chain on the strength of its original pub, the Botanic Inn on Belfast’s Malone Road.