THE iconic Northern Whig, situated on Bridge Street, in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter is set to open its doors this weekend after an extensive refurbishment project which cost in excess of £300,000.
The investment in the revamp is in addition to the price paid for the building in February by its owners, The Horatio Group, bringing the total investment to over £2m. As a result of the changes, the venue has created an additional 15 jobs, bringing the total number employed at The Northern Whig to almost 50.
The major overhaul, which took place over four weeks, saw a vast team of local skilled tradesmen work on the project, with all of the joinery works and furniture sourced from Northern Ireland suppliers.
Managing Director of The Horatio Group, Stephen Magorrian, worked with local interior architect, Chris McCreedy of Chris McCreedy Design on the project, and sourcing all of the craftsmanship and materials locally was high on the agenda.
Commenting on the work done and the quick turnaround time, Stephen said:
“The Northern Whig is an iconic building in the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast and the experience of giving it a whole new look, for the first time in many years, has been an exciting one.
“Spanning over 4,000 sq. ft., there was a huge amount of work to be done but we have worked with many of Northern Ireland’s finest tradespeople over the years, and were confident of their skills and ability to meet the challenging timescale.
“Working to Chris McCreedy’s design, our huge mahogany bar was crafted by Big Tree Joinery Ltd who are based in Temple just outside Carryduff, and our furniture was produced by Nugent and Gibney Ltd in Armagh. We even managed to source all the metal work from Metalcraft Engineering Limited in Belfast. Thanks to the quality of the design, craftsmanship and materials, we’re thrilled to have created an incredible venue in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter for our customers, and one that will stand us in good stead moving forward.”
The new look Whig will be managed by Gerard Keaney, with Rick Orr at the helm in the kitchen as Head Chef. Due to reopen to the public on Friday 29th April, The Northern Whig is open seven days per week, offering brunch, casual dining, small plates and contemporary gastro choices, in addition to a huge selection of premium wines, spirits, beers and cocktails. Entertainment will run from Wednesday – Sunday weekly.
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