THE Kennedy Centre on west Belfast's Falls Road has welcomed three new tenants, creating more than 80 jobs.
Iceland, Costa Coffee and fully licensed restaurant 26West Bar and Grill have taken up residency in the centre just in time for Christmas, which is anticipated to be the shopping complex's busiest yet.
The centre is 99 per cent full.
The Iceland food store, spanning 7,600 sq ft and the brand's 34th shop in northern Ireland, has created 50 jobs alone.
It complements the supermarket offering from the centre's Sainsbury's store.
Iceland and Costa sit alongside Pound-land, B&M, Peacocks, DV8, Blue Inc, Internacionale, Boots, o'neill's and other retail favourites, while the American- diner-style 26West Bar and Grill broadens the centre's hospitality portfolio.
The eatery is an independent enterprise by entrepreneurs Sean Duffy, Gerry Carlile and niall McGinn.
Centre manager John Jones said: "The addition of these three outlets makes Kennedy Centre a one-stop shop for our regular customers but it also gives us an added pull when drawing in new footfall.
"Iceland and Costa Coffee are well recognised brands that will strengthen our reputation for offering reliable high-street names while 26West Bar and Grill marks a Kennedy Centre first as it's our only licensed premises to date.
"At a time when the number of to-let signs in the commercial property sector are only just starting to stabilise, it's great to be able to say that we are on the up. It's a hugely promising sign of things to come when we are bringing employment to the area too, especially at a time when finances are stretched."
* TROLLEY GOOD: Kennedy Centre manager John Jones celebrates the arrival of three new tenants with Ciara Boyd from 26West Restaurant, Jen Donnelly of Iceland and Michael Smyth from Costa Coffee