Popular Belfast city centre bar £3m extension works get underway
Work has commenced to transform a number of vacant units as part of an extension to a popular Belfast City Centre bar.
The 24,000 sqft site which has frontage onto Royal Avenue, North Street and Gresham Street is set to see the Haymarket transformed into a "dynamic network of nightlife spots."
Work on a number of vacant units next to the Haymarket bar on Royal Avenue has recently commenced however, a timescale for completion is not yet known.
Read more: How Co Fermanagh food truck owners stumbled upon a life-changing business idea
Read more: White's Tavern operator buys freehold for £5M and plans further development
The Vertigo Group submitted plans in 2022 after it purchased the site which includes the Haymarket bar and surrounding units on the corner of Royal Avenue and Gresham Street in the city.
It had previously leased the Haymarket which had most recently been known as the Hudson bar.
At the time of submitting the plans, the Vertigo Group told Business Live that around 40 jobs will be supported during the construction phase and that the new venues will see the creation of 50 new permanent jobs once up and running.
Speaking back in 2022, Gareth Murphy, Chief Executive of Vertigo Group, said the plans are transformational for the area.
“Following the success of Haymarket, we plan to create a dining and nightlife hotspot with several restaurant and bar areas within the site catering to a variety of different customers. Through the project we hope to attract footfall to the Union and Smithfield area and to attract more investment into expanding the city’s night-time economy," he said.
“The location will further benefit from Belfast City Council’s plans to build the ‘Belfast Stories’ cultural hub in the former Bank of Ireland building on the opposite corner, drawing additional footfall to the area.”
He said the plans take into consideration the site's history, which was, as the name suggests, a hay market in the 19th century.
“Our commitment to the development of Belfast as a leisure and tourist destination is at the heart of our organisation and we are thrilled to be rejuvenating such an iconic area. We have taken care to ensure that the regeneration plans maintain the integrity and celebrate the history of the site.
"This city is full of stunning architecture and a rich history, and as part of our plans we have included tributes to the area’s past to preserve and honour that history.”
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.