Opportunity for long-term, sustainable use of Belfast’s landmark 2 Royal Avenue, combining heritage, culture and city centre regeneration

Belfast City Council is inviting Expressions of Interest for the long-term, sustainable use of the ground floor of the landmark 2 Royal Avenue building, designed by William J Barre in the 19th Century.

Extending to approximately 14,250 sq ft, the opportunity forms part of the council’s wider ambitions to support regeneration, animation and inclusive growth in the city centre.

Now benefiting from some of the highest passing footfall in Belfast, the sandstone building has striking Gothic Revival features, including a circular dome with stucco figures representing architecture, art, engineering, industry, law, navigation, and war, visible on entering the building from Royal Avenue.

Council acquired the iconic landmark Grade B+ listed former bank building in autumn 2021, recognising its potential to help address challenges impacting on the city centre through appropriate re-use. Since November 2021, the council has supported the ground floor as a dynamic and popular community and cultural space, on a meanwhile basis – a use that was highly commended by Civic Trust judges.

Chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, councillor Ian McLaughlin explained: “Our built heritage is a crucial part of Belfast’s character, attractiveness and sense of place – and 2 Royal Avenue, designed by William J Barre, who also designed the Ulster Hall and the Albert Clock, is very important indeed.

"We’re keen to preserve 2 Royal Avenue’s accessibility, as well as its vibrant, inclusive spirit, while ensuring its future financial sustainability, so we’re seeking expressions of interest for the lease of the ground floor.

“We welcome proposals that encourage public enjoyment and celebration of this beautiful, listed building and complement Belfast’s existing offering in terms of cultural activity, independent retail and visitor experience. Proposals must support the city centre’s diversification and further enhance Belfast’s appeal as a place to live, study, work, socialise in, and visit.

“As part of our city centre regeneration plans, we’re establishing a dedicated LGBTQIA+ Hub on the first floor of 2 Royal Avenue. We’re starting work this week on Cathedral Gardens to make it an attractive public space for people to gather, relax and play, and we’re exploring options for the future use of the historic Assembly Rooms, which we acquired last autumn. We’re also currently consulting on designs for a world-class public space, visitor experience and creative hub called Belfast Stories which we plan to open in 2030.

“There’s a great deal of work underway to bring further animation and vibrancy to the city centre. So we want to see expressions of interest that match our level of ambition for the city, create social value, and have the potential to create an attractive, welcoming and engaging space here on a long-term basis.”

Located at an intersection of routes north, south, east and west, 2 Royal Avenue helps to connect the city centre with its surrounding neighbourhoods.

2 Royal Avenue’s ground floor offers exciting placemaking and public realm opportunities, with building entrances from Royal Avenue and Bank Square, and frontage along Bank Street.

There is also potential to collaborate with neighbouring businesses in Bank Square and beyond to further enhance the square’s civic nature.

Interested businesses, individuals, groups or collectives will be asked to complete a brief proforma outlining how their proposal meets the following four requirements:

1. The long-term use should retain elements of the public facing, civic, third space that currently exists within the building.

2. The long-term use should be financially sustainable – i.e. require no recurring operational funding from Belfast City Council.

3. Uses that maximise the benefit of this key heritage asset for economic, place and social outcomes will be welcome.

4. The long-term use should be complementary and compatible with the LGBTQIA+ Hub proposed for the first floor of the building.

The call for expressions of interest will close in early February 2026 and will inform a second stage to this process.

For more information on this opportunity, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/2royalavenue