Belfast One’s 2024 Round Up

As we look back on 2024, we’re proud of the significant steps made to enhance, support, and promote the Belfast City Centre. At Belfast One Business Improvement District (BID), our mission is to create a vibrant, welcoming, thriving City Centre. This year, we’ve focused on delivering impactful projects, events, and initiatives that have strengthened our local economy, enhanced the area’s look, and fostered positive engagement with businesses and visitors alike.

2024 welcomed exciting new openings, showcasing investment and confidence in the city. The Keep on Castle Lane is now home to a stunning Apple Store, H&M, and Deichmann. The beautifully refurbished Pearl Assurance Building brought Seed, a new-to-Belfast salad bar concept, to the city’s heart. Dining and nightlife were elevated with the arrival of eateries and bars such as The Ivy, Amelia Hall, Nova, and Stock Exchange, adding vibrancy and variety to Belfast’s offerings.

Throughout 2024, we prioritised empowering businesses and their teams through essential training and hands-on support:

• Delivered three first aid courses, two fire warden courses, a British Sign Language (BSL) course, and sessions in customer service, HR, and social media training—building a safer, more inclusive, and competitive business environment.
• Maintained ongoing engagement with local businesses, ensuring their needs were met and fostering collaboration across the city.

Supported businesses in adopting the Belfast City Centre Gift Card, simplifying in-store setup, and aiding with corporate orders, boosting local spending and engagement.

Creating a cleaner, safer, and visually appealing City Centre remained a key focus this year:

• City Beat Officers: In partnership with PSNI, our officers provided daily business checks, safety advice, and innovative solutions to tackle issues like graffiti, using forensic handwriting analysis to identify and deter vandals.
• Pest Management: Worked with pest control teams to prevent infestations, placing bait boxes and addressing concerns swiftly to maintain hygiene near bin storage areas.
• Infrastructure Improvements: Fixed the Castle Lane access gate, providing secure, coded entry for businesses, and enhanced area safety.
• Cleanliness Commitment: Collaborated with McQuillans in our Clean Team to ensure clean and attractive streets through regular and on-demand clean-ups, including graffiti and gum removal, debris collection, and power washing.

This year has been a celebration of all that Belfast City Centre has to offer, with standout events driving footfall and enriching our community:

• Belfast Restaurant Week 2024: Our biggest event yet, featuring 51 venues and 105 experiences, offers, and events, showcasing the best of Belfast’s culinary talent. A key highlight was Belfast One’s business lunch, which brought together industry leaders for meaningful discussions and networking, further cementing the week’s success.
• Iconic Installations: The BELFAST sign became a landmark attraction, moving from City Hall to CastleCourt and drawing visitors to surrounding businesses. The Belfast Bee’s installed at 2 Royal Avenue and Bank Square brought some vibrancy to their respective areas during spring and complimented our “B’s in the trees” installations around the area.
• Cultural Events: Sponsorship of TradFest brought live music to the city, while Hit the North Street Art Festival turned Lower Garfield Street into a more vibrant and safe space.
• Promotional Campaigns: Worked with the Belfast City Centre Night Czar on a Christmas Video about the need for a late-night bus service as well as aiding in marketing the short term late-night service campaign on behalf of Translink.
• Family-Friendly Fun:
  • Summer Cinema attracted thousands of families over two days, contributing to the local economy as visitors explored shops and restaurants between screenings.
  • Halloween Celebrations drew enormous crowds, with the Pumpkin Patch and Spooky Fun at 2 Royal Avenue delivering unforgettable experiences for hundreds of families.
  • Santa’s Post Office welcomed thousands of visitors, and families received booklets encouraging them to explore the area further.

Aesthetic Enhancements: Wrapped buildings along Royal Avenue and Linen Hall Wall to combat tagging and enhance the city’s appearance.

The Belfast City Centre Gift Card initiative continues to thrive. A dedicated gift card machine installed at CastleCourt provides a tangible, convenient way for customers to support local businesses. This initiative encourages spending within the City Centre, boosting footfall and supporting the economy.