Leisure group plans to inject £3m in revamp of hospitality hotspot

New bars and restaurants are planned to open as part of a £3million plan to overhaul one of Belfast's 'neglected' areas.

Vertigo Leisure, which owns We Are Vertigo on the outskirts of the city, recently purchased a site on Royal Avenue and Gresham Street having held a lease since July 2021.

The proposed investment would include a refresh of the Haymarket bar site on Royal Avenue as well as the surrounding units with 50 new jobs expected to be created.

The site spans 24,000 sq feet. Vertigo Leisure invested £1.5m into the project last year. The company also owns Cargo by Vertigo in the Titanic Quarter.

Gareth Murphy, chief executive of Vertigo Group, said the plans would 'breathe new life' into the city centre.

"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."

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.”

"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."