LQ BID last night celebrated the opening of its new social space FLAXX on Brunswick Street. Sync NI were there to chat with Chris McCracken, Managing Director at LQ BID, and find out more about the space and the BID’s current and future projects.
Celebrating the opening with a games night, the area, which had previously experienced issues with anti-social behaviour, has now been transformed into a vibrant social space in the heart of the city.
Holding up to 250 people, the boasting games area is complete with a pétanque court, outdoor seating, a performance area with a stage for small concerts and a lighting projection.
Chris McCracken, Managing Director at LQ BID told Sync NI the space was initially created as a way to combat the anti-social behaviour that had become commonplace in the square and create a social space that people could enjoy and feel safe in.
He added: “I stood here in June 2020 and said wouldn't it be great to seal off this road and make it a hospitality spot and here we are. It's great to see all the people and the buzz around the place, this is exactly what we were trying to achieve.”
RELATED: LQ BID announces plans to extend services in 2023
In addition to the new social space, LQ BID is currently involved in a number of other projects in the city. Alongside Belfast One and Cathedral Quarter, they are jointly sponsoring Belfast Restaurant Week which runs from 19th - 25 September and will showcase the fantastic food Belfast has to offer with a number of culinary events and special offers.
The BID has also organised Health Week from 26 - 30 September, which includes free health checks, yoga classes at Belfast’s Grand Central Hotel, physio consultations, first aid classes and more.
LQ BID was first appointed in 2018 for an initial term of five years and in January 2023, eligible businesses will have the opportunity to vote for it to be appointed for a second term. Recently the BID announced its five-year business plan, part of which reveals its aim to extend its services to include The Gasworks and Shaftsbury Square areas.
Commenting on the plans for Shaftsbury square, Chris told Sync NI: “If we get voted in, we're going to have a blitz in March and do a big spring clean-up. We’re going to power wash all the streets, remove all the weeding, replace all the fencing, and paint all of the shutters. In derelict buildings, we will add pieces of art and make a visual difference. Then we're going to go to big developers and investors. Once we get investors kickstarted more will come, then it will start to regenerate, we'll start to get employment and have more people that will support cafes and restaurants.”
Chris added: “Next year if we get voted back in, I think by the summer you will notice a visible change to the street and in five years time hopefully you'll notice an even bigger change as investment starts to come back.”
Along with this LQ bid also has plans to tackle wider public health issues. Chirs explains: “We’re going to do a project to measure and monitor air quality in the city. We're going to measure it, establish the risks to people's health and show that we need to do something about it. This lends support to the active travel agenda which includes cycle lanes, sustainable transport and zero-emission buses. It’s quite a long-term thing but if we get there, we'll have a cleaner, more vibrant, more sustainable city.”
Chris concluded: “What we’re trying to do through all of these projects and events is to make the city a better place for everyone.”
Find out more about LQ BID’s work here
