Popular Ballymena town centre bar The Front Page, which has been a pub since the turn of the 20th century, has changed hands for the first time in more than three decades.
Proprietors Stephen Reynolds and his wife Marie, who have been manning the beer pumps there for 34 years, have sold the hostelry to Brian McKenna, who previously owned McKenna’s bar in the historic Sailortown area of Belfast, and Michael McKeever.
The Reynolds had put The Front Page on the market in May.
At the time Stephen said: “Following 34 fantastic years at the helm, we have decided it’s time to retire and allow someone else to continue to build upon the excellent, award-winning, hospitality venue that we, together with the help of everyone at Team Front Page and all of you our loyal and visiting customers, have helped create over many years.
“Staff have already been made aware. Marie and I aren’t getting any younger and there are areas of this wonderful world that we would love to explore while we’re both still, young, fit and able.”
In a Facebook post on Monday, the couple said: “And that, as they say, is a wrap my friends as today we welcomed new proprietors at The Front Page Bar - Brian McKenna and Michael McKeever.
“We take this opportunity to say a massive and heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of the Front Page journey during the last 34 years. It’s been an absolute blast, and we couldn’t have accomplished all that we have achieved without your help.
“Thank you to all of the staff and customers both past and present, door supervisors, DJs and entertainers, delivery men, reps, suppliers, our Facebook followers at home and abroad and everyone who has contributed to our continued success.
“Sincere best wishes to Brian and Michael in their new venture together. We wish them continued success going forward.
“Its not so much the end of an era . . . just the beginning of a brand new chapter for both Marie and I,” adds Stephen, who in recent years has been heavily involved in the Ballymena BID project
In 2018, The Front Page was recognised as one of Hospitality Ulster’s Top 100 hospitality venues in the north and has been a past winner of NI Community Pub of the Year.
Its name is derived from its position next to the former newspaper office and its interior décor is complemented by a display of framed newspaper “front pages” depicting many of the famous headlines of yesteryear.
