PLANS for a new Belfast restaurant housed within a landmark city centre building have been shelved after the property was put up for sale.
The former home of Tedfords Ship Chandlers, Sail & Tentmakers on Donegall Quay was set to be the latest eatery from Belfast chef, Niall McKenna - owner of James St., Hadksis and Cast and Crew in the city, but the listed building due to house his latest venture is now on the market, with a guide price of £300,000.
Back in March 2015 Mr McKenna submitted a planning application proposing to convert the three-storey former sail warehouse into a restaurant, with approval granted in January last year.
The plans never proceeded into construction however, and now McKibbin Commercial Property Consultants has been tasked with finding a buyer for the site, which lies between the Donegall Quay Car Park and the former Tedfords Restaurant, which closed in July 2017 and relaunched as Chandler's Seafood in August 2018.
Chandler's Seafood remains open for business.
The 3,714 sq ft warehouse was originally constructed in and around 1790 and Tedfords, which began business in Donaghadee, relocated to the Belfast site during the 1850s.
Earlier this year award-winning chef Niall McKenna announced plans to merge his James Street South restaurant and its neighbour, James Street bar and grill, as part of a new £300,000 redevelopment project.
The new James St. restaurant opened last month and has created 35 full and part-time jobs.
Speaking in July, Mr McKenna said the refurbishment was being carried out to accommodate burgeoning demand from a growing base of local and international visitors for a more bistro-style all-day dining experience.
“As a dedicated team, we are immensely proud of our achievements we have made over 15 years, but the dining experience has evolved, and the time feels right to adapt to the change in customer tastes," he said.
Meanwhile a highly-prominent car showroom site in Lisburn has been brought to market by property agency Lisney.
The 4,033sq ft dealership at Market Place, which is let to Ford Retail Ltd and trades as the Mazda brand, has an asking price of £650,000.
Constructed in 1995, the two-storey showroom sits in the centre of Lisburn and includes a forecourt to the front of the property.
Lisney director Stephen Chambers said: “This is a great opportunity to purchase a property with an excellent tenant at a popular lot size.
“With neighbouring occupiers including Trust Ford and Roadside Peugeot, the showroom is ideally situated on the edge of Lisburn’s main retail core.
“The property is fully let and has more than 10 years to run on its current lease, at a passing rent of £48,000 a year, and we expect the investment to attract strong interest at a net initial yield of 7 per cent."
The site has direct access from Market Place and includes 30 car parking and display spaces.
