Belfast publican Jim Conlon has completed a £1.5 million refurbishment of west Belfast venue The Whitefort.
The hospitality boss said the major renovation of the Andersontown Road pub will support 50 jobs in the west of the city.
Mr Conlon, who also owns The Devenish in Finaghy, is co-owner of the Clover pub group in Belfast alongside Mark Beirne and Paul Langsford.
Their city centre hospitality portfolio includes Henrys, The Jailhouse, Whites, Margot, Fountain Lane and Pug Uglys.
The Whitefort was the first pub acquired by Mr Conlon. It was relaunched in 2016 as Wolf & Whistle, but the two floor Andersontown venue has now been restored to its original name.
The refreshed interior design was developed by hospitality design specialists O’Donnell O’Neill.
The ground floor now includes an extensive island bar, cocktail bar, restaurant and staging area for live entertainment.
The second floor has been revamped as a sports bar with 11 pool tables, interactive dart boards, media wall and events space.
“The completion of this major renovation programme represents a new era for The Whitefort,” said Mr Conlon.
“I’ve leaned on my experience and expertise of creating some of Belfast’s most popular venues and brought it to the west of the city.
“The completion of the first phase of our multi-million pound planned investment demonstrates our long-term and continued commitment to the local community.
“And with the opening of the redeveloped Casement Park in the not too distant future, we look forward to offering a unique hospitality experience for those visiting the stadium,” he continued.
“We are confident that the new-look Whitefort will not only appeal to our existing customers, but will also attract a new customer base from Belfast and beyond, which will in turn have a positive impact on employment in the local area and the surrounding businesses.”
Jim Conlon also runs Gymco with his brothers Martin and David.
The company, which is behind two of the largest independent gyms in the north, announced plans in January to open five additional sites, creating around 100 jobs.
