THE Northern QTR, Belfast International Airport’s new collection of restaurants and bar, has officially opened as part of a £1 million investment by catering and facilities management giant Mount Charles, which has created 30 jobs.
It includes four innovative food and beverage destinations including Coco Diablo Mexican Cantina and the popular all-Ireland brand Freshly Chopped, where healthy fast food is created in open-theatre chopping stations.
The Northern QTR also sees a refreshed Fed & Watered unit offering tasty food with locally sourced produce and the all new 24-foot long 360 degree bar.
When the new full- and part-time jobs are added in, it means 70 people are now employed at the Northern QTR.
Mount Charles' head of sales & marketing Gavin Annon said: “Our aim was to completely overhaul the existing units to create a food and beverage offering that would enhance the customer experience and rival any top tier airport in the UK. We are confident the Northern QTR will deliver this."
Brian Carlin, director of commercial development at the airport, added: “These bright modern outlets offer a great range of options, and with more than six million passengers travelling through the airport this year, we're sure the Northern QTR will be a huge hit with our passengers.”
Joining the team at the official launch of the Northern QTR to help raise awareness of two fantastic charities - Angel Wishes and DBA UK - was little Faye Annon, grand-daughter of Mount Charles’ chairman Trevor Annon.
The four-year-old has a condition called Diamond Blackfan Anaemia (DBA), a rare bone marrow failure disorder which means her bone marrow does not produce enough red blood cells to sustain her life, and she relies on the general public to donate blood so that she can receive transfusions every three weeks.
Mr Annon said: “As we begin our journey with the Northern QTR, we are also on a journey to find a cure for this remarkable little girl. We are trying to find a match for Faye to have this life-changing bone marrow transplant. and while not a cure for DBA, it will exclude the need for blood transfusions.”
