Business

Victoria Square seek to repurpose retail space for hospitality

Plans come after luxury hot chocolate brand Knoops announced plans to open in Belfast

CHANGING RETAIL: A property report from CBRE says Belfast's Victoria Square is losing two key tenants in H&M and River Island, but is gaining three others in The White Company, Sculpted by Aimee and Rituals
An application has been lodged to convert two former shops at Victoria Square into a new restaurant.

Plans have been submitted to repurpose vacant retail space at Belfast’s Victoria Square shopping complex for hospitality use.

Two empty shop units at the shopping centre are set to be redeveloped into a new restaurant under the proposals.

The centre, managed by Lambert Smith and Hampton, is seeking permission to amalgamate two upper ground units for an unnamed new hospitality tenant.

It comes just weeks after The Irish News revealed that luxury hot chocolate brand Knoops had selected Victoria Square to make its debut on the island of Ireland.

The units include the former Carphone Warehouse store, located between Specsavers and Costa at the Ann Street entrance to the centre.

The move from retail to leisure and hospitality space is a growing trend in the retail sector.

It follows a challenging period for the 922,000 sq ft shopping centre, owned by German asset manager Commerz Real.

Anchor tenants including H&M, River Island and Tessuti have all left large vacant units at the centre in recent months.

Apple is also set to leave Victoria Square for a new build store in Belfast city centre.