Northern Ireland’s largest hospitality group, Beannchor has announced plans to open a new £4m hotel in Belfast city centre, creating 100 new jobs.
The new 55-room hotel will wrap around Victoria Street and Ann Street in the city, occupying Lagan House - a building formerly occupied by the Department of Justice. Subject to planning approval the hotel is expected to open in early 2016.
In addition to its sizeable accommodation offering, the complex will include a public work space with desktop computer access for residents and non-residents, high speed WiFi and wireless charging points for phones.
There will also be a destination ground floor bar/restaurant, with a courtyard garden, accessed via Church Lane, as well as a retail element on the ground floor.
The news of this latest development follows the announcement last month that Beannchor has invested £250,000 in the launch of a new Little Wing Pizzeria in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh this summer. The opening of Beannchor’s new hotel next year will bring the Group’s total number of employees to over 750.
James Sinton, finance director, Beannchor said: “Hospitality is one of Northern Ireland’s most important industries and, looking to the future, it will be one of the main drivers of sustainable economic growth. Ongoing investment in the sector is crucial and Beannchor is proud to continue to invest in hospitality, with the development of this new hotel in Belfast city centre.
“This latest investment of around £4m follows our major investment of over £20m in the hospitality industry in recent years and will be a major economic boost to the city centre and the wider hospitality sector.
“The creation of 100 new full time and part time jobs will be good news for Belfast. Beannchor prides itself on creating long and meaningful careers (underpinned by our ongoing staff training and development programmes) in one of Northern Ireland’s most exciting industries.”
