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Maghera Inn

Client

N&M Holdings

Project Value

£1M

Status

Pre-planning

Sector

All Projects, Hotel & Hospitality

The Maghera Inn, a popular pub and restaurant located between Dundrum and Castlewellan near the Mourne Mountains, has experienced steady growth since its acquisition by Matt and Natalie McKenna in 2020. As demand for both food and guest accommodation increased, the need to expand became clear — yet the building’s capacity and layout constrained further growth.

In 2024, Rejen Architects were appointed to develop proposals that would help the business scale. Our initial design strategy includes a new extension to double the restaurant’s seating capacity and a conversion of the first floor into high-quality guest accommodation. The project is currently at concept stage, with Rejen leading early engagement with statutory consultants and addressing infrastructure and drainage considerations.

The proposal reflects our expertise in hospitality expansion and adaptive reuse of vernacular buildings, with a focus on delivering improved guest experience, operational efficiency, and sustainable business growth for rural venues.

A planning application is targeted for submission in Q2 2025.

How We Added Value:

  • Designed a two-phase expansion strategy to address seating capacity constraints and unlock new revenue streams.
  • Proposed the integration of boutique guest accommodation within an existing rural hospitality setting.
  • Led early engagement with consultants to mitigate infrastructure and site constraints.
  • Supported the client’s vision with a commercially viable and sensitively designed extension.
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