ONE of Belfast's most popular nightspots is undergoing a major refurbishment, which is set to create up to 30 jobs.
21 Social, housed within the Potthouse building on the corner of the Cathedral Quarter’s Hill Street and Waring Street, is refurbishing its downstairs bar and creating a new outdoor beer garden to be collectively known as 'The Thirsty Goat', the Irish News can reveal.
The investment, thought to be as much as £1 million, which includes the cost of purchasing of the adjoining land, is being undertaken by the Downey Group, who acquired 21 Social at the end of February.
Work is expected to be complete by the end of next month.
As part of the investment, 21 Social plans to recruit between 25 and 30 staff in a mix of full and part-time positions.
The land, set to be the location for the new beer garden beside the Dirty Onion, was acquired in a separate deal with the former owners.
The Downey Group is headed by Derry brothers Henry and Seamus Downey, both former GAA stars and part of of the Oak Leaf county's 1993 All-Ireland-winning team (Henry was the captain).
The group's expanding portfolio already includes McHugh's, The Kitchen and Apartment bars in Belfast as well as Derry venues including the Sugar nightclub and Downeys Bar in Magherafelt.
The latest development at 21 Social will see the ground bar completely revamped, creating a more traditional Irish style pub, serving the best of traditional and modern cuisine as well as local craft beers, gins and whiskeys.
The new beer garden is set to have a farmyard feel, with regular live music and is a welcome addition to Belfast's flourishing Cathedral Quarter.
The renovation work on the downstairs bar began last month and it is hoped that both offerings will be open for trading in late September.
The expansion at three-floor venue coincides with two new nights in the club portion of the establishment, set to begin next month.
One will be a purely student-focused night, while the other will be branded around music.
