From Vacant to Vibrant, Belfast properties are transformed thanks to funding
Lord Mayor meets some of the people bringing vibrancy to previously vacant city centre buildings with council’s help
Projects which have transformed previously derelict city centre buildings in Belfast city centre have been showcased.
The schemes were supported by funding from Belfast City Council’s Vacant to Vibrant initiative.
On a walkabout, the lord mayor Micky Murray met with Marie Thérèse Hickey of Verona Bridal on Bruce Street, Curtis and John Sloan of Sloan’s Gym on Chapel Lane and Peter Richards and Sarah McAvera of Golden Thread Gallery on Queen Street.
Applicants who secure Vacant to Vibrant funding also benefit from wrap around support offered by council’s Enterprise and Business Growth team, providing resources to support their business or organisation’s start-up or expansion, including one-to-one mentoring and workshops to help with growth and long-term sustainability.
Lord mayor, councillor Micky Murray, said: "I've been so impressed by the vision, energy, enthusiasm, and commitment of the people I’ve met. They’re demonstrating the very best of Belfast’s character - harnessing resilience, innovation, and passion to restore previously vacant spaces in city centre buildings to become thriving, successful businesses and organisations.
"They’ve shown me that our Vacant to Vibrant funding initiative is achieving exactly what we set out to do as part of our Future City Centre programme – revitalising the city centre, creating a thriving place where people want to spend time, live, study, work and invest."
Marie Thérèse at Verona Bridal is welcoming brides to be from all over the UK and Ireland – and as far as Bermuda, Dubai and Florida - while Jonathan, Curtis, and their grandfather John at Sloan’s have expanded and diversified their city centre gym offer by creating Ireland’s only open air roof-top training facility, in addition to their café and online protein ball business.
Peter Richards and Sarah McAvera and their team at Golden Thread Gallery have developed a new space for people to experience and enjoy visual arts.
Murray added: "To thrive, cities need to offer a distinctive, authentic experience that includes retail as well as welcoming, engaging spaces and opportunities for leisure, culture, living, studying, working, visiting, and socialising.
"So we’re keen to see more applications come forward from businesses and social enterprises, cultural and voluntary organisations and property owners who’d like to relocate in Belfast city centre."
Grants of up to £2,500 are available for pop-up ground floor use (minimum four months), up to £15,000 for active floor usage up to 150 sq m, and up to £25,000 for active floor usage of more than 151 sq m.