A new licensed restaurant, designed with social distancing in mind opens its doors for the first time in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter today (Friday 3 July).
Cargo by Vertigo is the latest venture from Gareth and Lorna Murphy of Belfast-based adventure company, We Are Vertigo. It will sit alongside their restaurant Spud Murphy’s, overlooking the Harland and Wolff cranes.
In two weeks the previously unused area has been transformed into an outdoor eatery covered with stretch tents which are more typically seen at festivals, and the bars and VIP areas are carved out of large shipping containers.
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Tables at Cargo by Vertigo must be booked in advance via an online booking system and table service will be provided, with food and drinks booked using the B Express app. The venue affirmed it will be maintaining 2m social distance guidelines to provide a safe customer experience.
There will be dedicated VIP areas which customers will be able to pre-book. The venue will also be available for private hire including corporate events, birthday parties and wedding celebrations, when group booking restrictions allow. 
Cargo by Vertigo is working in partnership with the Belfast Sightseeing Tour Buses to provide a shuttle service on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings to the major routes of the city.
Spud Murphy’s loaded baked potatoes will be available along with a variety of tasty options in Cargo by Vertigo. The restaurant said these will include traditional cooked breakfasts, pizza, BBQ food and sharing platters serving daily from 12pm until late.
Gareth Murphy, co-owner of Cargo by Vertigo said: “We have always worked hard to innovate and bring the latest in adventure and leisure to Belfast and now more so than ever before we need to see some outside of the box thinking to keep our hospitality sector moving forwards.
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“We want to see people back out and enjoying themselves, to really embrace socialising again, and Cargo by Vertigo will allow them to do this in a safe and spacious environment in the historic location of Titanic Quarter.
“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, We Are Vertigo’s existing indoor adventure venues – Inflatable Parks, Skydiving, Ninja Warrior assault course, Ski, softplay village and climbing - remain closed with 200 staff on furloughuntil we re-open on 7 August. The launch of Cargo by Vertigo means that we can soon bring some of our employees back to work in our new venue.”
He added: “Capacity management will be the big challenge as hospitality reopens in the city which is why it is important for customers to pre-book before they come down via the We Are Vertigo website to guarantee entry. Where booking was once advised, it is now essential as we navigate through a new era of socialising.”
For more information on Cargo by Vertigo, visit https://www.wearevertigo.com/cargo
Download the B Express app here.
