Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
£4m hotel... and 75 jobs boost for Lisburn city
52-bed facility set to open next summer Funds to help put us on the tourist trail
A HOSPITALITY company is to invest £4million in a new 52-bed hotel in Lisburn.
Beannchor Group, which also owns the Merchant and Bullitt hotels in Belfast, a host of pubs in Northern Ireland and the Little Wing pizza chain, is opening up in Lisburn Square.
It said the project will create 75 jobs and, subject to planning approval, the hotel will open in late summer 2019.
The 30,000sq ft hostelry will be located not far from the company’s Little Wing restaurant in the city at the site of a former Argos store.
Beannchor Group founder Bill Wolsey said the move is a further boost for the city and the hospitality industry.
He added: “Hospitality continues to be one of Northern Ireland’s most important industries and largest employers.
“We believe the creation of 75 new full-time and part-time jobs will be a major economic boost for Lisburn Square and the city.
“We already have a presence in Lisburn Square through our very successful Little Wing Pizzeria and have been working alongside the Square’s owners for the past six months to create the vision for a hotel the people of Lisburn can be proud of.”
The company said the hotel “will epitomise urban-style, contemporary surroundings alongside spacious, affordable bedrooms” and will have secure underground car parking on-site.
Lisburn Square development director Nicky Mccollum said the new hotel will help encourage other hospitality businesses to the town.
He added: “Further to our plans for the new hotel, it is our intention to attract other quality food and beverage operators to the Square in the shortterm and continue to create a familyfriendly environment within the piazza, as well as stimulate the night-time economy.”
The building was let by agents CBRE and GVA NI. There are a few remaining units available in Lisburn Square ranging from 800sq ft to 6,000 sq ft. TOURISM NI has launched two separate schemes as part of its 2019/2020 Events Funding Programme.
Targeting national and international markets, they have been introduced to boost the attractiveness of Northern Ireland as a holiday destination.