The Monico Bar in Derry’s Custom House has now been sold
ONE of Derry’s oldest pubs has been sold.
THE Monico has changed hands after the man who owned the bar for the past three decades has called time on pulling pints.
Gerry McCloskey took over the Monico Bar and Lounge at Custom House 33 years ago,.
And over the past three decades has welcomed US senators, Hollywood actors and Nobel Laureates through the doors.
Mr McCloskey said that it was with a ‘heavy heart’ that he took the decision to sell.
“For me personally, I have a lot of great memories with the place, so it was with a heavy heart I took the decision,” he told the Derry News.
“There was just so many faces and people.
“John Hume would be coming in there with any US congressmen or senators had had brought over.
“Sometimes you would get a call warning you, and sometimes they would just land in through the door.
“I remember when Translations was first being staged in the Guildhall in 1980 as part of the Brian Friel’s Field Day plays, and he would be in here with the likes of Stephen Rea, great times you know.”
He added that the sale of the bar will free him to dedicate more time to his involvement in the international show-jumping scene.
“I travel a lot around Europe with the show-jumping, the likes of France and Spain regularly, and I was recently approached by a buyer for the bar,” he said.
“So I thought it was just the right time, and now I’m free to travel around a lot more.”
The bar is currently undergoing refurbishments.
The new management are expected to re-open the bar in the coming weeks.
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