LQ In The News

August

July

June

In June we have had coverage on our annual Linen Quarter Health Week including our efforts to build ‘A District of Lifesavers alongside British Heart Foundation. Belfast Telegraph also ran a feature – Me and My Health- on LQ BID’s Finance & Contracts Manager, Charlotte Irvine.

May

During May, Chris McCracken was invited onto BBC’s Good Morning Ulster to discuss the ongoing transformation taking place at Bankmore Square. Click below to listen to his interview as he discusses the ongoing regeneration of the Linen Quarter including the Dublin Road and Great Victoria Street.

April

In April you may have seen a thought-leadership piece from our Managing Director Chris McCracken which was published in the Irish News print and online, discussing Belfast’s night-time-economy and how collaboration is needed to transform this. We also had coverage on Business First Online on how we kicked off our second term with the deep clean of Dublin Road and Great Victoria Street. Check out coverage links below.

March

During March, we put forward our vision to Re-Imagine Blackstaff Square, presenting a proposed concept study in collaboration with OGU Architects at Imagine Festival. You may have seen some of our media coverage in the News Letter, Belfast Live and on Business Eye. We also had additional destination coverage for the top things to do in LQ on St Patrick’s Day.

February

During February a range of media outlets focussed on the successful outcome of the BID’s term two ballot. These featured articles and allowed our Managing Director to set out some of the future of the BID and the relevance of its remit for the local area. This month, MD Chris McCracken also featured on the Frank Mitchell show to discuss Belfast Restaurant Week 2023 – an important initiative to support local hospitality in the Linen Quarter and Belfast.

January

During January, we’ve been continuing our work to promote the Linen Quarter as a vibrant destination. You may have seen us recently featured on Good Morning Ulster talking about the importance of BIDs in place management, and BBC Talkback in relation to the Night-Time Economy.

November

This month, you may have heard our Managing Director Chris McCracken on Good Morning Ulster speaking on the opening of the new Primark building on Castle Street. Chris also joined the Red Lines Podcast and BBC’s The View alongside a diverse panel for a general discussion on city centre regeneration, putting forward support for new residential, low-cost creative space, the night-time economy, and investment in active travel. 

September

During September, the BID hosted its annual Health Week – a jam packed week of free events to encourage people and businesses to focus on their personal health and wellbeing. LQ BID featured in local media including the Irish News, Belfast Telegraph and Business First to speak about the importance of a healthy district. Read all about it below!

August

During August, LQ BID brightened up the district with new colourful graphics on the parklet outside Pug Uglys and the BBC, inspired by famous street artists, Maser; Haas & Hahn and Eduardo Kobra. LQ BID’s MD Chris McCracken, also featured in local media including Belfast Live and Business Live regarding positive changes taking place in the City, met with the Belfast Telegraph and BBC to showcase improvements in the Linen Quarter and spoke to Frank Mitchell on U105 . Read all about it below!

June

In June, LQ BID announced a new pilot partnership with Extern, to improve and prioritise community safety, tackle anti-social behaviour such as problem drug use, and support vulnerable people in the LQ area. LQ BID’s MD Chris McCracken, also featured in local media regarding masonry, which fell from a listed building located on Bedford Street in LQ! Read all about it below!

May

In May, LQ BID kicked off the month by adding a new mural to the District, designed by street artist and mural painter, Sophie Mess. The new mural on Linenhall Street was installed as part of the Hit The North Street Art Festival. But the headlines didn’t stop there, as LQ BID unveiled FLAXX in LQ, a brand new social space located on Brunswick Street! Set to open in June, the impressive 43-metre-long structure will become a vibrant spot for people to enjoy social and cultural experiences! Be sure to check out both the mural and FLAXX if you’re in LQ!

April

In April, LQ BID’s MD Chris McCracken spoke with the British BIDs to record a short podcast and discuss all things Golden Mile, and why tourists should walk the route when visiting Belfast! After all, there are over 20 attractions to see!

March

In March, Linen Quarter BID ran a dedicated Clean and Safe Week, comprising of events, services and initiatives for our members, which focused on making LQ a cleaner and safer district. We received great support from our members, and coverage across local media.

February

In February, coverage of the Belfast City Centre Gift Card continued, following a very successful two years and a £188k boost to local businesses! The card has seen an increase in not only users, but participating businesses – giving customers more of a variety across the City Centre, when spending the card.

January

Although January is known for being a slower month post-Christmas, things certainly didn’t slow down for LQ BID, as we highlighted a number of on-going initiatives we have been working on. First up, we recently joined Belfast City Council for a partnership campaign, on the importance of personal safety across the District. This campaign involved LQ BID delivering personal safety alarms to members, after funding was provided by the Policing & Community Safety Partnership (PCSP). Our work didn’t stop there however, as promotion of the Belfast City Centre Gift Card continued, following a very successful two years and a £188k boost to local businesses!

December

In December, it was a busy time for LQ BID’s partnership with Belfast One and Destination CQ BID, as we collaborated on promotion of the Belfast City Centre Gift Card. The initiative, aimed at supporting City Centre businesses, garnered interest from local media and we even managed to bag two renowned radio personalities to support the campaign!

November

In November, LQ BID was delighted to host the RE[act] Festival, after months of planning the festival programme. RE[act] featured 30 unique events between 2 – 14 November 2021, and it was a completely new festival, that sought to inspire a more sustainable Belfast (and Northern Ireland). It took place at the same time as COP26, and was aligned with the global conference’s daily themes, to help integrate Northern Ireland into the global conversation. See links below to local coverage gained during time of festival.

October

In October, LQ BID had a very busy month – with not one, but two launches! Firstly, we launched RE[act] Festival – a brand new festival which seeks to inspire a more sustainable Belfast. Coverage has been fantastic to date, with lots of events taking place for everyone to join! And secondly, we launched a new parklet outside Pug Uglys bar on Bedford Street, to help revitalise hospitality and encourage footfall in the area. Read more below!

September

In September, LQ BID revealed plans to transform the Linen Quarter into the first sustainable district in Northern Ireland, helping to lead the collective effort required to tackle the climate crisis. To launch this project, LQ BID held a Sustainable Business Breakfast in LQ-based venue, Ormeau Baths. Also in September, Linen Quarter BID’s MD Chris McCracken, spoke with the Irish News for their ‘In the Spotlight’ feature.

August

In August, LQ BID launched ‘Welcome Back Packs’ – an initiative aimed at supporting members as they return to the district post-Covid. The packs have been distributed by our LQ Street Ambassadors to both corporates and hospitality businesses, gaining fantastic media attention along the way!

July

July came around so quickly, and just like that, the BID team were on to another project! This month saw the launch of the first City Centre parklet in to the Linen Quarter – a welcome addition for members to enjoy! To date, the parklet has received a fantastic response, and already members are using the open space for lunch breaks, meetings and more! Be sure to check out the parklet on Linenhall Street when next visiting LQ!

June

The month of June has been a busy one for the team at LQ BID, as we launched our very own ‘ Golden Mile’ walking trail! The trail which includes some of the best attractions from Ulster Hall, to Ulster Museum has already garnered fantastic media attention – and we hope many will make the journey to LQ to take the tour themselves! Last but not least, LQ’s new Sustainability Manager was featured in Ulster Business – who is already a huge part of the BID team!

May

In May, LQ BID launched an exciting partnership with Cycling UK to urge more businesses across the district to become true champions of cycling. The partnership was announced ahead of Bike Week UK – with LQ making headlines! Also in the month of May, LQ also appeared in Hospitality Ireland, after Belfast City Council approved plans to transform a Linen Quarter street into an outdoor hospitality and public performance space!

April

In early April, Linen Quarter BID’s MD, Chris McCracken, spoke to Bauer Media’s David Tighe to discuss what LQ BID is doing to build towards recovery, and offered a glimpse of what to expect on the latest Business Bites. April also saw one of LQ BIDs biggest projects get approved by BCC planning committee, and enhanced safety measures highlighted across LQ as more offices returned.

March

In March, Linen Quarter BID’s MD, Chris McCracken wrote and shared an opinion piece on ‘Reimagining Belfast post-Covid’, adding thought to the wider debate of the city we want to see. Speaking with Margaret Canning from the Belfast Telegraph, the piece garnered media attention, highlighting the ongoing work of the BID and its role as the city recovers.

FEBRUARY

This month Linen Quarter BID  revealed  results from a recent public survey which highlighted an overwhelming demand from the public for change to Belfast’s urban environment. We also saw the Belfast City Centre gift card make national headlines, with a focus on what consumers can experience in the City Centre when normality resumes.

December 

This month Linen Quarter BID welcomed hospitality and retail businesses back to the District, with the installation of vinyl wraps on the Scottish Mutual Building, which sits on the entrance to Bedford Street. LQ BID managed the work as part of our 20 project recovery plan that aims to promote the area as one of the most exciting destinations in the city following the pandemic.

November

This month LQ BID launched plans for new public realm within the district, specifically for local hospitality businesses to make use of and highlight the district as a must-visit destination. Online coverage has been included below:

October

Coverage for the Belfast City Centre Gift Card launch continued into October, with more publications becoming aware of the initiative and the positive story this launch provided, particularly with news being dominated by a pandemic. Coverage for the gift card can be found in the following links below:

September

To provide support to local businesses and to help the City Centre recover, LQ BID partnered with Belfast One and Destination CQ BIDs to promote the Belfast City Centre Gift Card, an initiative aimed at boosting the City Centre offering, to ensure spend is locked in to local economy. The partnership has been a success to date, with over 155 businesses signed up to offer the card. Links below explain how the card works and how you can purchase: