Cathedral Quarter site for new hotel
Two brothers from Co. Donegal are set to open a new 40-bedroom hotel in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
Edmund and Patrick Simpson, who come originally from Tulnaree, near Carndonagh, hope to go on site with the new city centre project next year at a spot on Waring Street not far from the Four Corners Premier Inn. The site, which was purchased by the brothers around a decade ago, is currently occupied by a derelict warehouse.
Speaking to LCN recently, Patrick Simpson also confirmed that permission has been sought to add a four-storey extension to another of the pair’s premises in Belfast – Benedict’s Hotel on Bradbury Place. That £2.5m project, which will see 24 rooms added to the Queen’s Quarter hotel alongside a range of other facilities, should get underway before the end of this year.
The brothers hope to be able to demolish buildings on Donegall Road to make way for the expansion, which will also house three commercial units, a laundry room, a lift and an external smoking area.
Patrick and Edmund submitted similar proposals and were given the green light by planners in November 2007. The original application featured the proposed demolition of the same Donegall Road buildings, but with the addition of four commercial units and the creation of up to 30 additional bedrooms.
“We felt that now is the time was right to expand,” said Patrick. “We are getting good occupancy rates at Benedict’s, we’re getting great feedback on Trip Advisor and just enjoying a lot of good business generally.”
He also indicated that there should be around 10 new jobs available at Benedict’s once the expansion is complete and he added that there were no plans to close the hotel during the building work.
Benedict’s first opened its doors in 1998 at a construction cost of around £4m. It currently comprises 32 bedrooms, a restaurant, lounge and bar.
Patrick and Edmund Simpson are behind a series of successful business concerns including the Brunswick Moviebowl in Londonderry. They also own Blackstaff House on Great Victoria Street, which houses BBC NI’s main studio. They bought that premises in late 2010.
