NEWTOWNABBEY-based McKeever Hotel Group is in discussions to purchase the Dunadry Hotel near Antrim, the Irish News understands.
If completed, the deal would bring the number of hotels operated by the McKeever family to five.
Located just a few miles from Antrim town, the Dunadry is owned by the Mooney Hotel Group, which purchased the business in 1986.
Armagh City Hotel and the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast are also owned by the Mooney group.
Eugene McKeever, managing director of the McKeever Hotel Group, has been in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years and his contribution to the trade was recognised in 2015 when he was given an MBE for his services.
Beginning his career as a chef at Corr’s Corner in Newtownabbey, his first purchase was the Granagh House restaurant in Randalstown in 1986.
Following this, Mr McKeever moved back to Corr’s in 1993, this time as the owner.
The restaurant was transformed into a hotel four years later, and in 1999 he purchased the Dunsilly Bar in Antrim, which was also expanded into a hotel in 2005.
In 2010, the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena was also brought under the control of the group.
Two years later, their hotel portfolio was expanded into the Republic when they purchased Dillon’s Hotel – then named the Letterkenny Court Hotel – in Co Donegal.
The group’s last available accounts, for the year to the end of September 2015, show -pre tax profits of £892,000 and a turnover of £7.6m.
