Bullhouse Brew x The Errigle Inn
The Errigle Inn, 312-320 Ormeau Rd, Ormeau, Belfast BT7 2GE
Robyn Gilmour
Saturday 14 December 2024
This article is from
Love Your Pub
issue 112
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Bullhouse has been at the forefront of campaigning for changes to Northern Ireland's archaic licensing legislation to allow small, independent breweries to open taprooms. As it stands, there are a fixed number of alcohol licences in Northern Ireland, meaning one business has to close and sell its licence for another one to buy that licence and open a venue of its own. The purchase and administrative costs of transferring a licence are exorbitant, and can be contested by neighbouring licence holders who commonly make the case that the addition of a new pub threatens the health of their own business. The process is ritually so long, fraught, and expensive that it is prohibitive to small, independent breweries and publicans. As such, a brewery's relationship with its on-trade stockists is vital, and one such lifeline for Bullhouse Brew Co has been The Errigle Inn.
“Phil McGurran, the third generation of the McGurran family to run The Errigle, and GM Paul Boyce were regulars at our taproom, and we developed a friendship over the years,” says Bullhouse founder William Mayne. “The Errigle put a permanent Bullhouse tap on its bar, making it one of less than a handful we have (outside our own venue) in the whole of Northern Ireland.
“The Errigle has long been a supporter of the local brewing industry, providing a platform to showcase local breweries in Belfast, a city where the vast majority of taps are tied to multinational producers. The Errigle is one of the only bars in Northern Ireland with a dedicated cask offering, regularly bringing in unique beers and being at the forefront of promoting local produce to their busy venue. When we were asked about a pub we'd like to collaborate with, The Errigle was first on our list, not least because of its history in Belfast, but also its support for us and the other independent breweries in Northern Ireland.”
The Errigle Inn was originally owned by Charlie McQuade, who opened it in 1935 with TJ McGurran as its first manager. TJ later bought the pub, beginning a family business which has been the heart of its community ever since. Phil McGurran, TJ’s grandson and current manager of The Errigle, says “although people think the pub is a place you go to drink, The Errigle is for people to meet, and be entertained and communicate. It’s a social hub of the community, and it's really important.” He proudly points out that his father steered the pub through The Troubles, during which time, The Errigle remained a place where everyone was welcome.
Phil began working in the pub when he was just 14, and mostly tended The Oak Lounge, the bar in which furniture from 1936 remains intact (albeit reupholstered) and its original stained glass windows are still enjoyed by patrons today. The Oak Lounge now has a dedicated cask storeroom, which makes The Errigle one of very few venues in Northern Ireland to serve cask ales. That the pub offers traditional ales by modern, local, independent breweries like Bullhouse, Whitewater and Boundary is a point of pride for Phil.
As closely as the pub has stuck to its roots, there are ways in which it has embraced change over the years. It has always hosted gigs, and was the first bar in Belfast to hold an entertainments licence, required in Northern Ireland for any premises that provides live entertainment, including dancing, singing, music, indoor sports, or theatre. The Errigle currently has five bars under one roof, a roof garden and a front terrace with heated seats. Food and entertainment are available throughout the building, making it a great place to gather and connect. It’s not just the case that three generations have run The Errigle Inn, many generations of customers still attend and cherish it as well.
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