Entrepreneur of the Year bets £5.5m on Belfast hospitality

Fresh from being named Entrepreneur of the Year at the LCN Awards in June, Mark Beirne is marking another milestone with the simultaneous opening of two flagship Clover Group venues, Margot and Rudi, in Belfast’s Clarence Chambers.

“It’s always really been about Margot,” Beirne reflects. “When we first took over the basement bar, it was a stepping stone. From the beginning, my plan was to move upstairs, to create something bigger, something that would really contribute to Belfast. I have always said, City Hall is going nowhere. If you can get a licence on the square, you stay on the square.”

That vision has grown into a £5.5 million project, split between £3 million for the freehold and £2.5 million for the fit-out. The result is a reimagined Margot, a new late-night lounge in Rudi, and plans for 21 boutique bedrooms as Margot Townhouse.

Ownership brought freedom, but heritage rules shaped the scheme. “It was meeting after meeting after meeting,” Beirne says. “You could not just knock through walls or create big open spaces. At times it was frustrating, but in the end those restrictions led us to a better outcome. Every room has its own feel. It forced us to respect the building’s story, and that gave us a stronger scheme.”

Downstairs, Rudi delivers dark, moody luxury. Upstairs, Margot is bright, elegant, and overlooks City Hall. “We do not call Rudi a nightclub,” Beirne insists. “Nightclubs charge you on the door. Rudi is a luxe bar. You reserve a table, you get service, you get packages. Belfast has not really had that kind of offer before.”

Staff, he stresses, remain at the heart. “Bad service will kill you quicker than a bad review online. Customers will forgive a delay or a mistake if the attitude is right. What they will not forgive is being ignored or treated badly. That is why staffing is the heart of everything we do.”

Stay tuned to read the full interview in our upcoming digital magazine!