New hotel at Nambarrie factory site to get green light

A new hotel at the former Nambarrie tea factory building in Belfast is set to get the green light next week.

The property, which LCN revealed last year would be part of the Marriott group’s Moxy brand, will boast 164 bedrooms with the existing factory building converted and an extension added.

A planning committee meeting on June 14 is expected to approve the development, which will boast a ground floor bar and restaurant and another bar on the seventh floor bar.

Developers Pragma Planning said they wish to retain the he history of the building and “create a modern, vibrant hotel that adds to and complements the existing offer in Belfast City Centre”.

They added: “Our vision is to create a modern vibrant hotel that adds to and complements the existing offer in Belfast City Centre and which creates life and vitality at the junction of Victoria Street and Waring Street.

“The existing building has been on site for around 60 years and whilst there is no historical connection at the site with the tea trade the proposal seeks to draw from the history of the buildings and retain them.

‘Playful and affordable’

“This represents the introduction of new international brand to the Northern Ireland Market with an investment of approximately £25m and the creation of around 30 permanent full and part time posts.

“Over the past decade the number of overnight trips to Belfast has doubled to 1.5 million annually and associated expenditure and increased by 120%. Belfast City Council has prioritised tourism as a key growth area within its recovery plan and is working with other stakeholders to develop new attractions.

“A Moxy Hotel in Nambarrie Building has substantial potential to align with Belfast City Council’s vision by attracting a major international brand not currently represented in Belfast; to bring life to the junction of Waring Street and Victoria Street and vitality to this section of Victoria Street; to compliment the existing hotel offer in Belfast City Centre; to attract additional footfall to the already vibrant Cathedral Quarter and to rejuvenate this corner site which is a gateway to Cathedral Quarter.”

Moxy, which boasts more than 60 hotels around the world is described by Marriott as “playful and affordable”.