Small businesses bringing vibrancy to previously vacant city centre buildings with council’s help.
Belfast City Council’s Vacant to Vibrant initiative is helping people who have had the vision and drive to transform previously derelict city centre buildings.
The Vacant to Vibrant funding initiative is achieving exactly what it was set up to do as part of the council’s Future City Centre programme – revitalising the city centre, creating a thriving place where people want to spend time, live, study, work and invest. Council is already helping to bring over 20 city centre properties back into use; supporting an anticipated 80 direct and indirect employment opportunities and returning a projected £3.87 in rates income for every £1 invested by council.
Sloan’s City centre gym
Jonathan, Curtis, and their grandfather John at Sloan’s have expanded and diversified their city centre gym (in Chape Lane) offer by creating Ireland’s only open air roof-top training facility, in addition to their café and thriving online protein ball business. You can find that Protein Ball business in St George’s Market every weekend close to the pharmacy, look out for Loada Balls.
Family-run Sloan’s Gym on Chapel Street offers a well-equipped, modern facility, with café and classes and rooftop sessions including boxing, spinning and yoga.
Golden Thread Gallery
Peter and Sarah and their team at Golden Thread Gallery have developed a creative urban haven, welcoming everyone to experience and enjoy visual arts. You may remember Golden Thread from their premises on Dunbar Link or from the open gallery nights on the 1st Thursday of every month. The new premises look superb in the revitalised new City centre site on Queen Street.
The award-winning Golden Thread Gallery re-opened to the public in new premises at 23-29 Queen Street on August 10. Building owner Daren Millar, LEJA Properties, secured Vacant to Vibrant funding to help renovate the much-loved former Gas Corporation Showroom and Craftworld building. Set across two floors, the new venue has retained many of the building’s Art Deco features and includes large galleries, a projection room, a Community Participation and Engagement Hub, and NI’s first visual art library and archive. Entry to the gallery is free.
Applicants who secure Vacant to Vibrant funding also benefit from wrap around support offered by council’s Enterprise and Business Growth team, providing resources to support their business or organisation’s start-up or expansion, including one-to-one mentoring and workshops to help with growth and long-term sustainability.
Grants of up to £2.5k are available for pop-up ground floor use (minimum four months), up to £15k for active floor usage up to 150m², and up to £25k for active floor usage over 151m².
For more information on how to make an application, go to www.belfastcity.gov.uk/vacanttovibrant or email the team at vacanttovibrant@belfastcity.gov.uk
