Jobs boost with new Belfast bar and club

Pictured unveiling plans for the latest addition to the Beannchor group’s portfolio are Conall and Petra Wolsey.

The local hospitality sector has received a significant jobs boost thanks to a new investment announced by Northern Ireland’s largest local hospitality group, Beannchor.

Sixty6 is a new cocktail bar and nightclub situated in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter above Beannchor’s National Grande Café on High Street. The new premises represents an investment of around £400,000 and 60 new jobs have been created.

The launch of the second phase of the Cathedral Quarter entertainment complex, based at 66 High Street, Belfast, will complete a total investment of £1.1m by Beannchor in the venue and the creation of 120 jobs.

Set over three floors, Sixty6 conjures the glamour of a classic Victorian gentleman’s club and brings the upper levels of the grade B listed former National Bank building back to their former glory.

Original features including high ceilings with intricate cornices, carved wooden pillars, original doors and a distinctive wrought iron and stone staircase have been sympathetically restored. Plush fabrics, furnishings and fittings have been added to update the interior of the striking venue, which dates back to the 1890s.

On the first floor, an intimate cocktail bar will serve a range of innovative drinks seven nights a week. On the upper two floors, a nightclub will feature live DJ entertainment from Thursday to Sunday, with access to the venue’s exclusive rooftop terrace via the third floor.

Commenting on the announcement, Conall Wolsey, director with the Beannchor Group, said that the launch of the National Grande Café in 2014 had been an exciting development for Beannchor and that this further investment in the second phase of the project would provide and economic boost to the Cathedral Quarter and further afield:

“As we continue to grow, we are creating a solid foundation for the development of rewarding long-term careers,” he added. “As a major employer of over 650 people, Beannchor is committed to investing in its people. These new roles  – and all of our employment opportunities – are underpinned by ongoing staff training, development and rewards schemes that will drive the improvement of service standards in our own venues and right across the industry.”