22-26 The Square, Ballyclare BT39 9BB

November 1989 saw the completion of a massive refurbishment job at the Grange. This probably is one of the most ultra modern bars I have visited in my travels, and was designed by Ferguson and Wheeler. Above the old premises, used to be the words “W.H. Grange’s Spirit Vaults.” Today the present owners are Billy and Brian Montgomery who also own The Countryman on the Ballymena-Ballymoney Road and The Thatch in Boroughshane. Ballyclare today is not only a market town but doubles up as a dormitory town for Belfast. It is an integral part of Newtownabbey U.D.C…now the 2nd largest city in Northern Ireland. Billy told me his original concept was to build a town pub in a market town and to cater for all tastes. This he has done delightfully. There are 4 bars in total, and all with separate entrances. The Sports Bar has three distinct segments, a corner for darts, one for pool and a TV corner for the punters. The Ulster Hangliders Club use this as their headquarters and Billy was telling me that Tommy Wright, Newcastle United goalkeeper and N.I. International used to work here as a barman. The Public Bar, has the original low timbered ceiling, red walls and polished ashwood throughout with distinctive stained glass light covering in all bars. Look out for the Barbara Allen print in the snug and a drawing of the old paper mill in Ballyclare by Maurice Oliphant. Upstairs are two restaurants; the larger of the two serves lunches throughout the weekdays and doubles up at the weekends as an Entertainment room. A separate entrance from the street will lead you into another delightfully intimate smallish restaurant complete with its own Cocktail Bar. Did I say there were 4 bars? Well there is another one, if you could call that, out in the back yard and approached by a flight of steps.

This is used as a meeting place for the local Lions and members of Grange Rangers who play in the 2B Amateur Soccer League.

The Grange not only caters for the sporting fraternity, but literally for all tastes. It is certainly a bar for all seasons.