A business owner is hoping to spread some positivity for the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland during troubling times by announcing a new venture in East Belfast.
Peter McCloskey, award-winning barber behind Peter Oliver and owner of Oliver's Coffee Bars and restaurant, is going against the trend of recent closures in the industry by investing his time and money into a new eatery in Ballyhackamore.
The Newtownards man told Belfast Live that despite the "stressful times" being felt throughout all businesses in the industry, he hopes that his new restaurant can bring something new and refreshing to the area - proving how valuable hospitality is across NI.
Speaking about how he ventured into the industry, Peter said: "About seven or eight years ago, I was coming down the Belmont Road and I saw an empty cafe that was really run down. We decided to open up a cool new coffee shop and it has done really well.
"My daughter, wife and son work in it and we have a really good team - a year or two after this, we decided to open up a restaurant."
All trading under the name Oliver's, derived from Peter's middle name, the family now own and run a number of coffee bars and restaurants scattered across the city - a world away from Peter's original trade as a barber and hairstylist.
During lockdown, the opportunity became available for Peter to acquire the units beside his current restaurant in Ballyhackamore and despite the industry being at a standstill due to the pandemic, he took the risk and began planning to open a completely new concept 'Broker' - with a name inspired by the former occupants of the unit.
Peter explained: "We have it all more or less kitted out now and we are just waiting for the licence. We have the chefs and staff all lined up and my daughter is going to run it.
"It is going to be open for brunch during the week and then four nights a week it will transform into a small plate restaurant, tapas style.
"I am really excited about it and getting it going. It is going to have a separate identity, separate chefs and a separate team to Oliver's so even though it will be sharing the same area, it will be a totally different experience."
He continued: "Obviously, the news last week about the budget not helping hospitality was disappointing - Belfast is dying on its feet and it is not easy. I know every business out there is getting it tight too.
"But I am very confident about Ballyhackamore because it is a brilliant wee area much like the Lisburn and Ormeau Roads - the suburbs of Belfast are buzzing and great for cafe culture."
Peter explained that seeing the number of businesses across Northern Ireland forced to close due to the pandemic and the current cost of living crisis is "heartbreaking" because he knows first-hand how much time, effort and passion go into running your own business.
He hopes that news of his new restaurant can act as a glimmer of hope during the negativity and can continue to support the "brilliant" chefs and staff that are the backbone of the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.
"The Glider route is right on our doorsteps and stops outside our restaurant which is great because the other thing that is hurting Belfast is transport - there are no taxis and no night services so it is very difficult to get home from Belfast," he added.
Broker hopes to open for brunch within the next two weeks and be fully operational with their nighttime licence by the end of November.
"Hospitality venues such as coffee shops and restaurants are so important because they become almost a hub to get out and socialise. Businesses should be encouraged instead of penalised - if our high streets die then it will take a long time to get it back again."
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