July is Independent Retailer Month and Belfast City Council is renewing its focus on supporting indie retailers in the city centre.
Chair of City Growth and Regeneration Committee, Councillor Sam Nelson said: “Ensuring our city centre is the best it can be takes consistent, collective effort from a wide range of organisations to create a space that’s strong, safe, welcoming, and attractive for everyone.
“Belfast was the best performing city in the UK for footfall in June 2024, according to the NI Retail Consortium and Sensormatic IQ – and we want to keep building on that success.
“Retail is obviously a vital part of the mix, so during Independent Retailer Month, we’re highlighting seven opportunities to trade at city centre on-street pitches, selling everything from fruit and vegetables to flowers and arts and crafts.
“We’ve also extended our successful Vacant to Vibrant grant scheme, and matchmaking property service. It has already allocated funding to help bring 26 city centre properties back into use – supporting 80 direct employment opportunities and returning £3.87 in rates income for every £1 invested by council.
“Applications are welcome from all sorts of new and diverse retailers and service providers who can bring diversity, authenticity, and character to Belfast city centre.
“We’re also encouraging people who are either thinking about starting out in independent retail, or who want to grow their existing retail business, to get in touch with our Enterprise and Business Growth team who can outline the free support that’s available.”
Independent traders can currently apply online for street trading licences for the following city centre pitches:
- Two sites in Castle Lane, behind the mosaic at Castle Arcade junction (1) allows the sale of flowers, fruit, and vegetables and (2) allows the sale of flowers, plants, arts, and crafts
- Lower Garfield Street, near Royal Avenue junction
- Two sites in Lombard Street, (1) in front of the public toilets
- and (2) at the Rosemary Street junction, both allow for a wide range of commodities to be sold, but excludes the sale of food and beverage products of any nature
- Castle Place, opposite Donegall Arcade allows for a wide range of commodities to be sold, but excludes the sale of hot food
- Winetavern Street, at rear of Smithfield Market for the sale of fruit and vegetables
Over the last year, council has also given 18 new businesses receiving business start-up and growth support the opportunity to test trade at its dedicated start-up space in St George’s Market. The initiative offers the chance to trial products or services up to six times, for free, at one of the best markets in the UK and Ireland, to gain customer feedback, refine sales and marketing, reach a wider audience, and get valuable peer support.
Many of these fledgling businesses are now seeking to trade at the popular weekly market on a more regular basis or exploring alternative outlets for their products and services.
Eoin Kelly, who sells framed and unframed illustrations of Belfast through his business ‘The Wee Fella’ found test trading at St George’s Market a positive experience, having initially received free, one-to-one mentoring through Go Succeed.
Eoin said: “I met my sales target, the traders around me and the council staff were really supportive, and I got the chance to engage with so many international visitors.”
Jennifer King Machado and Edoardo Bergamo from ‘Amatea’ sell organic tea from Ecuador, having received support from the Go Succeed service to establish a Social Enterprise.
Edoardo said: “We received good positive feedback from customers, with many asking if we’ll be selling again at St George’s Market. We’re now hoping to join the market’s casual list and we’re applying for further trading opportunities to help grow our customer base.”
To apply online for a street trading licence, as well as details of fees and available pitches, go to www.belfastcity.gov.uk/streettrading email buildingcontrollicensing@belfastcity.gov.uk or call 028 9027 0650.
If your business is under two years old, without a premises, and you would like the opportunity to test trade at St George’s Market for free, go to www.belfastcity.gov.uk/testtradeatSGM or email economicdevelopment@belfastcity.gov.uk expressing your interest.
Property owners, businesses, social enterprises and cultural and voluntary organisations wanting to renovate or repurpose a vacant city centre space can apply for Vacant to Vibrant funding and all the details are available at www.belfastcity.gov.uk/vacanttovibrant
And for more information on how council is supporting the city centre’s development, go to www.belfastcity.gov.uk/citycentre and follow #BelfastCityCentre on social media.