Owner of famous Belfast pub put into administration

A Northern Ireland company which owns one of Belfast's iconic pubs has been placed into administration. John Hansen and Stuart Irwin of KPMG were appointed yesterday to Botanic Inns and its parent company Kurkova Limited, which owns 16 outlets including the flagship pub the Botanic Inn, or "The Bot", as it is known locally.

The joint administrators say it is their intention that the venues, which employ 600 people in the greater Belfast area, will continue to trade as normal.

Botanic Inns, which was originally a family business, dates back to 1857.

The joint administrators say they are carrying out a review of the entire business, which includes pubs, hotels and restaurants, and are speaking to everyone concerned with the companies in a bid to find a “successful outcome – namely the survival of the business as a going concern”.

Colin Neill, chief executive of industry group Pubs of Ulster welcomed the fact that it would be business as usual at Botanic Inns for its regulars, visitors and staff. However he said it was no secret that certain factors over the past year had made it a very "tough trading environment" for everyone involved in the industry.