Council in £1.25m pledge to revitalise blaze-hit retailers
BELFAST City Council has pledged £1.25m for businesses hit by the Primark fire as it emerged the condition of the building has deteriorated in this week’s storm.
The devastating blaze tore through the Bank Buildings in the heart of the city on August 28.
It forced 14 businesses within the safety exclusion zone to shut as work continues to determine what to do with the gutted shell.
Yesterday members of Belfast City Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed to inject more resources for the recovery of the city centre.
It estimates its overall spend to support businesses to attract people into the city will be around £1.25m — on top of the £500,000 donated by Primark.
In relation to this contribution, councillors also agreed that a cash-flow support package for the worst affected businesses would be developed over the next two weeks.
Committee chair Jim Rodgers said: “The scale of this disaster has had an immediate and profound impact on Belfast city centre and has left us facing huge challenges in the weeks and months ahead.
“We are determined as a council to lead this recovery operation and offer our business community all the support it needs to get back to business as usual, and to support those traders who, while outside the cordon, are also suffering a reduction in footfall and sales.
“Each of the businesses has different needs and priorities. It is vital that we work together to deliver the best support programme possible, and ensure Belfast’s economic resilience in the longer term.
“This will not be a short-term fix but [will] support investment in regeneration of the city,” Mr Rodgers said.
The city recovery investment programme put in place by Belfast City Council is planned to run into 2019, focusing towards Christmas trading and beyond.
The council has estimated the exclusion zone will be in place for at least four months.
The Primark site remains in an “extremely dangerous state and is structurally unsound,” it said.
This week’s Storm Ali led to further damage with a steel beam falling and loose debris blown off the building. The beam landed within the safety cordon.
The debris also fell within the cordon which remains intact, with the council saying the greatest concerns are around the stability of the chimneys and clock tower and the upper floor.
The council’s position remains there is “no quick fix” as experts continue to examine the building which has proven difficult “given the precarious nature/level of instability of the building”, it says.
“This continues to be a complex engineering challenge no matter which solution is agreed. The focus remains on getting a final solution agreed and getting our city centre back to normal as soon as is physically possible,” the council added.
Meanwhile, the council is continuing to monitor the economic impact the continued closure of the area is having, and plans to appeal to central government for more support.
The council is also monitoring and measuring the impact of the ‘yellow dot trail’ and wayfinding signage which was introduced in immediate response to the cordon.
This work will inform improvements and help the council support businesses by driving footfall, with street animation, transport and retail offers, and city dressing all part of plans.
The council is also developing ways to help people find their way around the city centre to the unique mix of shops available.
Mr Rodgers added: “All parties have given a commitment today to move as quickly as possible in the decision-making process to ensure there is no delay which could jeopardise or hinder the city’s economic recovery.”