Business

New £300,000 Stranmillis 'neighbourhood bar' to create 20 jobs

The Jeggy Nettle is due to open at the end of August at the site of the former House Pub and Kitchen on the Stranmillis Road. Picture by Matt Bohill
The Jeggy Nettle is due to open at the end of August at the site of the former House Pub and Kitchen on the Stranmillis Road. Picture by Matt Bohill The Jeggy Nettle is due to open at the end of August at the site of the former House Pub and Kitchen on the Stranmillis Road. Picture by Matt Bohill

A WELL-known Belfast pub is set to be transformed as part of a £300,000 renovation, creating 20 new jobs.

Work started earlier this month at the site of the former House Pub and Kitchen on Stranmillis Road to create "neighbourhood bar", The Jeggy Nettle.

The new pub, due to open at the end of August, includes £300,000 worth of refurbishments and is being brought forward by Janine Kane, the owner of popular Belfast city centre venues, The Spaniard and Muriels.

A spokesperson from The Jeggy Nettle said the plan is for the new pub to become a "neighbourhood bar", recognised for its wide range of whiskey.

"As The Spaniard is known for its rum selection and Muriels put gin on the Belfast map eight years ago, this time we will be specialising in whiskey with botanicals. We've been working on an Old Fashioned List to really indulge in and will also be serving our Jeggy Nettle gin," they said.

"In terms of clientele, we intend to cater for everyone - a neighbourhood bar should welcome the neighbourhood, so we'll have something for the locals, the Lyric lovers, the dog walkers, the sport-watchers and even the Queen's Underwater Hockey Team, who visited us before we closed for the refurbishment."

As for location they said the Stranmillis Road was an obvious choice.

"The choice of the site was an easy one- Stranmillis has a great reputation and feel about it, and we want to continue the growth and regeneration of the area, providing a local hub and around 20 new jobs."

The construction phase of the development started at the Stranmillis Road site earlier this month and is being carried out by Bangor-based Strong Construction, who previously worked on Muriels' gourmet burger bar Pablos.

"They not only do great work, but they're great to work with. We are undertaking over £300,000 worth of renovations, the details of which we are keeping under our hats for now. What we will say that while we are enjoying this unprecedented good summer, we're very much looking forward to getting cosy in the winter," they added.