Business

New owner launches fresh hotel bid for listed former war memorial building

Consarc's design largely preserves the exterior of the listed war memorial building.
Consarc's design largely preserves the exterior of the listed war memorial building. Consarc's design largely preserves the exterior of the listed war memorial building.

A LISTED former war memorial building in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, previously owned by Liverpool developer Lawrence Kenwright, looks set to be turned into a 120-bed hotel by its new owner.

The Waring Street building, which was sold last year, is now the focus of a new regeneration scheme led by SOM Properties, owned by Seamus and Orla Murray.

Mr Murray is best known for his Toomebridge-based joinery business Edgewater Contracts, which specialises in hotel fit-outs.

It comes as a number of prospective bidders compete for the former Scottish Mutual Building in Belfast, the site of another of Mr Kenwright’s failed Belfast projects, the George Best Hotel.

Colliers have marketed the listed building as a ‘prime city centre hotel development opportunity’.

Across town in the Cathedral Quarter, SOM Properties have appointed conservation specialists Consarc to design its new Waring Street hotel.

The Belfast firm previously worked on The Merchant Hotel and Titanic Hotel projects.

In a number of detailed reports, the design firm has proposed largely retaining the main war memorial building, while constructing a new six storey extension to the rear.

The principle of developing a hotel in the former museum and offices has already been established in previous planning applications approved by Belfast City Council.

Built between 1959 and 1961, the war memorial building was constructed in an area destroyed during The Blitz. English architect Michael Bawley’s modernist concept was selected as the winning entry from a design competition.

Design images produced by Consarc in support the proposed Waring Street hotel development.
Design images produced by Consarc in support the proposed Waring Street hotel development. Design images produced by Consarc in support the proposed Waring Street hotel development.

Consarc’s extensive heritage report on the hotel scheme also raises the potential of reopening Sugar House Entry, which runs alongside the former war memorial building toward High Street.

The entry, which has been closed since the 1970s for security reasons, was once home to a number of inns, including ‘Dr Franklins’, named for Benjamin Franklin and kept by Peg Barclay.

The tavern is said to be the first meeting place of the United Irishmen and regularly hosted meetings of the society, which styled themselves as ‘The Muddlers Club’, the name adopted by the nearby Michelin star restaurant.

Consarc’s report states: “The applicants for this proposal would be keen that Sugar House Entry… be reopened. They are happy to work with neighbouring businesses and the statutory authorities to promote and subsequently initiate this ideal.”

It’s the second major new hotel planned for Waring Street. Planning approval was granted in June for a 164-bedroom Moxy Hotel in the former Nambarrie Tea building down the street. The £20 million development is being led by Essex-based investment and development firm Propiteer, co-founded by Co Antrim native Dave Marshall.

The former war memorial building was sold last year. Picture by Hugh Russell
The former war memorial building was sold last year. Picture by Hugh Russell The former war memorial building was sold last year. Picture by Hugh Russell