Northern Ireland

Whiskey distillery plans approved for historic Titanic Pump House

Pictured left to right at the Titanic Pump-house are Titanic Distillers directors Peter Lavery, Stephen Symington, Richard Irwin and Sean Lavery.
Pictured left to right at the Titanic Pump-house are Titanic Distillers directors Peter Lavery, Stephen Symington, Richard Irwin and Sean Lavery. Pictured left to right at the Titanic Pump-house are Titanic Distillers directors Peter Lavery, Stephen Symington, Richard Irwin and Sean Lavery.
By Staff Reporter

BELFAST City Council has given the green light to convert the historic Titanic Pump House at the city's docks into a new whiskey distillery.

Plans for the distillery were approved at the council's planning committee last night, and will see three large whisky stills built on a floor overlooking the building's original pumping engines, which will remain in place.

Once complete, the site will be the first working whiskey distillery in the city to open in over 100 years.

The plans have been submitted by Titanic Distillers, and its director, businessman and lottery millionaire Peter Lavery, said they include blueprints for an adjacent visitors' centre.

"In the days before Prohibition, Belfast was once the largest producer of Irish whiskey on the island of Ireland," he said.

"We want to revive this great distilling tradition and bring Belfast back to the forefront of Irish whiskey production, while at the same time telling the story of a glorious past when Belfast led the way globally - not just in shipbuilding but across many areas of industry, manufacturing and innovation."

READ MORE: New working whiskey distillery planned for Belfast's Titanic Quarter

The Thompson dry dock (left) and pump house, next to HMS Caroline. Picture by Hugh Russell.
The Thompson dry dock (left) and pump house, next to HMS Caroline. Picture by Hugh Russell. The Thompson dry dock (left) and pump house, next to HMS Caroline. Picture by Hugh Russell.

Fellow director, Richard Irwin said: "The Pump-house has survived remarkably well for more than 100 years in a very harsh environment but it is in much need of repair and any further decline would represent a major risk to its future – so our first priority is to restore the building and bring it back to its former glory while maintaining and securing its long-term future.

“Whilst today represents a major milestone for us, we know that the hard work really starts here and we are now collaborating with stakeholders and funders, including Invest NI, to bring these exciting plans to life. Hopefully, we will be in a position to make a further announcement on this in the not-too-distant future,” he added.

The Titanic Distillers directors.
The Titanic Distillers directors. The Titanic Distillers directors.