Neighbourhood Café has reopened in new, larger premises on Donegal Street following a significant investment by its owners, supported by the Investment Fund for Northern Ireland (IFNI), managed by Whiterock Capital Partners.
Founded in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter in 2021 by Ryan Crown and Oisin McEvoy, Neighbourhood is a brunch café where friends, families and colleagues can come together and experience an elevated brunch and coffee offering that represents the best of Irish coffee and local ingredients.
The owners of the café, which employs more than 20 staff, decided to move from its previous home at 33 Donegal Street after experiencing daily queues for brunch. The move to Sessia House at 61-67 Donegal Street means Neighbourhood will now be able to accommodate 75 covers, compared with 40 previously.
With a long-term lease in place, Neighbourhood are excited to explore opportunities to grow their offering to include catering, private events and special evening activations, known as ‘Neighbourhood Nights’.
An investment of more than £400,000 has been made in the bespoke fit out of the new Neighbourhood Café, which has been supported by funding from Whiterock, which manages the debt fund for IFNI, offering loans of £25,000 up to £2m.
Operated by the British Business Bank, the £70m Investment Fund for Northern Ireland offers a range of commercial finance options including debt finance and equity investment to support businesses from all sectors in Northern Ireland at different growth stages.
Ryan Crown said: “Our mission has always been to authentically share our passion for hospitality in a warm and welcoming way through sincerely warm service, excellent brunch food, and specialty coffee, served in beautiful surroundings, all while celebrating Irish producers and culture.
“Moving only a short distance means we can continue to serve our very loyal existing customers, but the larger, more prominent location also means we’ll be able to attract new customers including tourists, students and workers. People are at the core of everything we do at Neighbourhood. We started Neighbourhood to create a place that not only customers get to enjoy but staff love to work in and this unit will help us to do both.”
Rhona Barbour, director at Whiterock, said: “It is great to be able to support the team behind Neighbourhood Café with the fit out and opening of their new site, which will be the business’s flagship location for years to come.
“The brand has built a great reputation for its coffee, its food, its service and its interior design, and we look forward to seeing its continued growth as a lynchpin of the Cathedral Quarter’s hospitality offer in the future.”
Sue Barnard, Senior Investment Manager, Nations and Regions Investment Funds at the British Business Bank said: Northern Ireland has a burgeoning food and drink scene with some brilliant restaurants, cafes and bars celebrating our great local produce.
“It is particularly pleasing to see Neighbourhood Café continue to grow and evolve and it is clear they have built up a large customer base through hard work, excellent customer service and of course outstanding food.
“Helping businesses, like Neighbourhood Café take the next step on their growth journey is exactly why the Investment Fund for Northern Ireland was introduced and I am looking forward to seeing what’s next for Ryan and Oisin.”
In addition to operating the café in the Cathedral Quarter, Neighbourhood also license their brand to the world-famous Irish Bar, The Dead Rabbit, opening the first location in partnership with Dead Rabbit in April 2024 in Austin, Texas.