Vacant To Vibrant Scheme Helping To Revitalise Belfast

An excellent scheme has been introduced in Belfast city centre which will help to revitalise the area and bring businesses back in. The Vacant To Vibrant scheme was actually launched back in July 2022 and the objective of the scheme is to provide funding to budding businesses who want to take over one of the plethora of empty shop units scattered around the city centre of Belfast. They have also secured another £500,000 in funding to roll this scheme out to vacant buildings beyond the city centre.

13 New Businesses Have Opened So Far

Here are some figures on the amount of vacant premises in Belfast, along with how the Vacant To Vibrant scheme is helping so far, as copied from an article on the BBC News website:

‘According to the Department of Finance, of the 5,576 non-domestic properties within the Belfast city boundary, 1,914 were vacant on 31 October 2024.

‘Of the 17,142 non-domestic properties in the wider Belfast district council area, 3,612 were vacant on 31 December 2024.

‘To date, 40 city centre applications have been approved and 13 businesses have opened.

‘There are three levels of capital grants available – up to £2,500, up to £15,000 and up to £25,000.

‘If a grant application is successful, the applicant must contribute a minimum of 10% match funding.’

And here is what a couple of business owners who have taken advantage of the scheme have to say about how much it has helped them establish a business in Belfast city, taken from the same BBC News website article.

There Is A Need For More Apartments In The City

Firstly, Steven Orr, who has opened New York-style bagel shop Bodega Bagels, is quoted in the article as saying:

“[Our premises] was a coffee shop, and we stood outside and looked at it and went, ‘This would be perfect. It’s on a corner, it’s all red brick, there are big windows. It looks like a New York bagel shop.

“We’re hoping this becomes a really busy part of town.”

And talking about the need for more apartments in the city he said:

“We’ve got loads of student buildings around us and office workers, so we have a good steady footfall,” he said.

“But it’s at the weekends you realise nobody lives in the city centre.

“If that was to change, everything in the city centre would feel a positive impact.” 

Johnny Sloan, along with Curtis Sloan, has also taken advantage of the scheme and opened Sloan’s Gym on Chapel Lane. The gym has a rooftop workout space and they used most of the funding for an electrical awning which covers half of the roof, creating shelter if it’s raining or cold. He is quoted in the article as saying:

“The idea was so brand new. It attracts people to us,” he said.

“If you’re in an office all day you want to get out and get fresh air.”

“We are the first rooftop gym north and south of Ireland which is pretty cool,” Curtis said.

“It went from a vacant, plain, flat roof that had nothing else on it other than a satellite to a fully functional fitness facility.”

The roof is the finishing touch for the gym, Johnny said.

“Before, you were always looking out on this bleak flat roof. Now I just feel like the gym’s completed and I’m really proud of it.”

This is a laudable scheme and there is no doubt that there are many other areas in Northern Ireland that would benefit just as much from similar funding.