Business

Popular Box Nightclub to close after a decade

Box Nightclub in the Odyssey Pavilion is to close after almost 11 years in operation
Box Nightclub in the Odyssey Pavilion is to close after almost 11 years in operation Box Nightclub in the Odyssey Pavilion is to close after almost 11 years in operation

ONE of Belfast's most popular nightclubs will close its doors next week after almost 11 years in operation.

The 23,000 sq ft Box Nightclub will cease operations in the Odyssey Pavilion as of July 1 the management has confirmed, with over two million customers through the doors over the past decade, including Rihanna, One Direction and Lady Gaga.

The popular student venue was also the setting for Rory McIlroy's celebration party after winning his first major golf tournament.

Announcing the news on Facebook Box Nightclub said it was the "end of an era", describing the nightspot as an "institution" and thanked all those who supported the business since its opening on November 23, 2006.

The announcement of the closure of the Box nightclub comes as the Odyssey Pavilion begins the first phase of a public consultation process as the site prepares to undergo a refurbishment and reimaging.

A Public Application Notice (PAN) went on display on Wednesday, part of a process which seeks to encourage the public and all relevant stakeholders to express their views on the proposed refurbishment of the Pavilion.

The Pavilion, which opened in 2000 as one of the UK’s Millennium Projects, part of the Odyssey Complex, was bought by Matagorda2 Ltd in October 2016 and the company plans to refurbish and reimagine the building.

Matagorda2 plans to refresh the site through a capital investment in order to make it more family orientated and better integrate it with the two other key assets in the Odyssey Complex.

The latest phase of the process provides opportunity for feedback on the proposal, which will then be used to inform the plan before any application is submitted. The PAN is part of a wider planning process.

The Odyssey Pavilion is part of the Odyssey Complex, which comprises the SSE Arena and the W5 Science and Discovery Centre. The Pavilion currently hosts a bowling alley, cinema and a number of restaurants and bars.