LISTEN - £1.69 million approved to help Belfast recover following Primark fire

by Gráinne Connolly

Belfast City Council has approved an additional £1.69 million to try and enhance shopping in the city centre. 

It's announced details of a large-scale programme of events to drive footfall and aid the city's economic recovery, following a major fire at the historic 'Bank Buildings' Primark store almost two months ago. 

The money will be used from now until Spring 2019, for tourism and family attractions such as a ski slope, ferris wheel, amusements and family zones. 

The council's also investing in environmental improvements in the city centre open spaces, offering places for people to relax, eat and enjoy the city with outdoor seating, enhanced street lighting and street art. 

The main programme of events starts on 26th October with the Castle Street fair. 

Events that follow include the Halloween family tours and activity, the Monster Mash, the Red Bull F1 Showdown and Eddie Irvine Racing, a mini Mela, a mini Festival of Fools, a Victorian fair.

The opening of the city wide infrastructure attractions will be on 18th November, just after the 17th November Christmas light switch on. 

Consideration is also being given to extending the popular Christmas Market at City Hall down Donegall Place, subject to interest from traders.

Cathedral Quarter Trust and other cultural providers from across Belfast are helping to deliver the planned activity which will stretch from Cathedral Gardens up Royal Avenue and Donegall Place to City Hall, as well as streets in and around the cordon.

Belfast City Council is also seeking solutions and working pro-actively with Primark to reduce the cordon as soon as possible and as soon as it's safe to do so. 

Depending on the outcome of the consultation around Primark’s proposed works, it's hoped that pedestrian access could potentially be restored between Donegall Place and Royal Avenue as soon as possible. 

This investment has been welcomed by Councillor Tim Attwood: 

The Councillor also says Councillor Tim Attwood says he hopes Central Government and the Secretary of State, Karen Bradley do more to get behind the City's City's regeneration and to support it in the long term: 

Belfast City Council is currently working with businesses worst affected by the Bank Buildings fire to enable them to apply for funding to aid their financial recovery.  

A special meeting of the Council’s Planning Committee will be called next week to consider the first listed building consent application from Primark.

The public consultation ends on Monday.

The committee also agreed that party leaders and the Lord Mayor would meet  as a matter of urgency with both the Secretary of State and Head of Civil Service to discuss financial support for this package and the long term recovery of the city centre.