Arrival of Tim Hortons marks start of a promising year for Riverside Retail Park

The Canadian coffee giant opened a purpose-built standalone drive-thru at Riverside recently creating up to 40 jobs in Coleraine and providing a real vote of confidence in the Retail Park for 2021 and into the future.

Indeed, Riverside is also set to welcome restaurant chain Nandos to the park with agreement in place for the South African company to open their eighth restaurant in Northern Ireland, at the site of the old Frankie and Benny’s. This will deliver a further 35 new jobs to the town.

2021 will also see the expansion at Riverside of Sofa Time who are taking over the former Harveys Furniture unit at the Retail Park. The new store will open for Easter subject to the current lockdown restrictions being lifted.

A spokesperson for Riverside Retail Park said: “We have always considered Riverside to complement the strong retailing offer of Coleraine town centre and we pay tribute to all those businesses who have committed to Coleraine and to Riverside Retail Park.

“The addition of global names such as Nandos and Tim Hortons represents a real vote of confidence in Coleraine as a shopping and leisure destination during these most challenging of times.

“As owners of the Riverside Retail Park we are optimistic about the future and are keen to help Coleraine recover from the pandemic and continue to enhance its status as the main shopping town of the Causeway area.

“With this in mind we are currently seeking planning approval for the development of the vacant unit 17 to comprise of a 40,000 sq ft retail unit and associated garden centre. We are currently in discussion with a number of bulky goods operators about the unit and should approval be granted at the forthcoming Causeway Coast and Glens planning committee meeting, we would be seeking to commence construction on this major development before Easter.

“This planning permission would represent a £4.4 million investment, creating around 70 construction jobs over the course of the 18 months development programme. As well as potentially creating 80 new retail jobs, the development would also benefit local ratepayers with the unit likely to bring in £1 million in council rates over the next five years.”

The proposal for the development of unit 17 will be taken by the Planning Committee of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council at their January meeting.

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