THE new £5 million easyHotel Belfast is "on programme" to open next month its owners have said, despite concerns in relation to bedroom sizes.
The 81-bedroom super budget hotel, being brought forward by business partners David Crowe and Kevin Baird is to open on Howard Street, but new information has come to light, which could delay or possibly even halt the project.
The BBC has reported that a number of rooms in the new hotel are below the 13 sq m stipulated size in Northern Ireland legislation, last modified in 2009 and the new venue may not receive the required Tourism NI certification. It has been reported that some rooms measure 9 sq m in size. Operating without official approval can be punishable by a fine of up to £2,500 or imprisonment of up to six months.
In a statement easyHotel said they had previously "received reassurances" the project would go ahead and blamed the lack of a Stormont Executive for not updating the current legislation in the north.
"Our rooms are fully compliant with the very latest national guidance on room sizes. Procedural delays at the Assembly mean that guidance has not yet been updated in Northern Ireland, but in our on-going dialogue with Tourism Northern Ireland throughout the planning process we have received reassurances."
The hotel chain said it is now seeking "urgent clarification" on the matter.
"Ultimately this is a discretionary matter and we have written to the Permanent Secretary at the Department for the Economy and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, seeking urgent clarification," they added.
In a statement the easyHotel Belfast owners said they are "currently working closely with Tourism NI utilising their expertise as well as going through the normal certification process".
"Building work is on programme for opening in August and we believe it will be an excellent addition to the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland," they said.
There are currently 12 easyHotels operating in the UK, with a further four, including Belfast, due to open in the next two months. The easyHotel brand is also present in Europe and in the UAE.
