‘New generation’ Spar brings jobs to Titanic Quarter
A £700,000 investment to transform a Titanic Quarter retail business into a “new generation” Spar store is to create 25 jobs for the area.
The existing store, which is owned and operated by local independent retailers Andy Davis and Graham Johnston, will reopen in its larger format in July 2017.
Mr Davis and Mr Johnston operate 77 Retail, which owns Spar Cadogan on the Lisburn Road, as well as stores in Ballynure, Dundonald, and Grand Street in Lisburn.
Owners of the Spar brand in Northern Ireland, Henderson’s, welcomed the move saying the expanded 7,000 sq ft store will offer “the most innovative service” to customers.
Customers will have access to local produce, an off-sales and a Post Office. Plans for the shop, which will be sited within the Arc Retail waterfront site, also include a sit-in area, a barista bar, and deli counter.
ARC Retail is located in the centre of Titanic Quarter below the ARC Apartments, home to over 1,000 residents.
It is adjacent to the SSE Arena, Citigroup, Belfast Met and Europe’s top tourist attraction, Titanic Belfast.
Annual visitor numbers to the Titanic attraction reached 625,000 last year, while thousands more visit the Quarter’s other attractions, including the SSE Arena.
Patrick Doody, Sales & Marketing Director, Henderson Wholesale, which owns SPAR in Northern Ireland, said: “The new generation SPAR store opening in Titanic Quarter is a major £700,000 investment by retailers Andy Davis and Graham Johnston in conjunction with the Henderson Group.
“The new store will reflect SPAR’s latest thinking in store design, fit out and range.”
Andy Davis added that since opening a retail business in the Titanic Quarter in 2013, their business had grown continually, prompting their fourth expansion in three years.
His business partner, Graham Johnston said: “There is a diverse mix of customers in Titanic Quarter which is unlike anything else in Northern Ireland.
“Our core customer base is made up of people who work in Titanic Quarter and the surrounding area, students, tourists, concert and event goers and residents.
“That means the new SPAR store will be much more than a normal convenience store – the range of produce we stock will be more varied and it will also be a space for people to relax and socialise in.”
The move was also welcomed by James Eyre, commercial director at Titanic Quarter Ltd.
He said the group was excited by Spar’s latest thinking in store design, fit out and product range.
“With 18,000 people working, studying, living and playing in Titanic Quarter daily, plus the draw of Titanic Belfast and the SSE Arena, the ARC Retail is a destination of choice,” he said. “We hope to see further bars, restaurants and cafés opening here in the near future.”
Titanic Quarter continues to grow with works progressing well on the refurbishment of the Harland and Wolff HQ and Drawing Offices which will open in mid-2017 as the 120-bed ‘Titanic Hotel Belfast’ and visitor experience.
Titanic Quarter has plans to facilitate further developments with a value of £365 million by 2021.
