Belfast’s last remaining Victorian-era arcade is set to expanded under new plans by its owner.
Lunn’s the Jewellers is proposing to extend its upmarket retail offering in Belfast city centre to take on a vacant unit on Donegall Place.
Under the plans submitted to Belfast City Council, the retailer will open its floorspace into 25-27 Donegall Place, a listed building with historic connections with the arcade.
The building was famously the first home of the Carlton Café, which was established in 1912 by Frederick William Henry, the entrepreneur who later acquired Queen’s Arcade in 1919.
The Victorian-era arcade, which first opened in 1880, has passed through various ownership down the years.
John H Lunn (Jewellers), which has been based in Queen’s Arcade since 1952, bought the building and 25-27 Donegall Place on its 50th anniversary in 2002.
Lunn’s completed a £2 million restoration project in 2019, with the arcade attracting a number of luxury brands, including Rolex, Gucci, Breitling and Montblanc.
The latest phase in the arcade’s renaissance will see it take on a more significant presence on Donegall Place.
The neighbouring vacant unit had been occupied by fashion chain Oasis for more than a decade until the retailer collapsed and ceased trading in 2020.
Lunn’s has brought heritage specialist Consarc on board for its latest investment project, which is expected to create around 25 jobs.
In its submission to Belfast City Council, Consarc said: “The proposals as submitted within this application seek to balance the commercial needs of the building operator with the heritage requirements of our shared building stock.
“The sustainability of these buildings will be greatly enhanced by these proposals, and any loss of fabric has been considered against the overall heritage value of the buildings and of the Belfast city centre conservation area.”