Rooftop bar proposed for Cathedral Quarter

Imagery credit: HR Jess

A prominent hospitality group in Belfast has put forward plans to create a rooftop bar at a popular spot in the Cathedral Quarter.

Carlisle Inns has submitted a planning application for its properties located at 39 Gordon Street and the Lux nightclub on Dunbar Street.

The group, led by Lawrence Bannon, is known for venues such as Common Market, The Chester Bar on Antrim Road, and Marcus Ward and The Palm House at Bankmore Square. The recent application to Belfast City Council outlines a proposal for a new rooftop area on the Dunbar Street side of the complex.

The proposal includes an open-air rooftop terrace, a new covered bar area, a DJ stand, and an open chimney designed for BBQ use. Additionally, there are plans for Pagoda-style seating on an upper terrace.

Carlisle Inns is the latest in a series of hospitality groups to explore rooftop spaces. The Maverick on Donegall Street is moving forward with its own rooftop development, having recently secured planning approval. Similarly, the Ringland Group has announced plans for rooftop terraces at its hotel and hospitality complex on Howard Street, and Glendola Leisure and Carlton Hotel Collection have proposed a rooftop terrace for their new hotel at The Tipsy Bird site on Ann Street.

Other similar projects have been submitted for The Keep development on Castle Lane and Belfast Harbour’s City Quays 5 office-led development. The Beannchor Group has also made significant investments in rooftop hospitality, with the Tetto restaurant and garden atop the Bullitt hotel being a prime example.