The historic Titanic Pump-House is set to be transformed into a working distillery and tourist attraction as part of a £7.4million investment from a Belfast drinks company.
Titanic Distillers is set to develop a new whiskey distillery and visitor centre in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter next year, creating 41 jobs.
The listed building in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, the Pump-House, and neighbouring Thompson Dry Dock, first opened in 1911 to service and accommodate the massive White Star transatlantic liners Olympic and Titanic.]
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The redevelopment of the Pump-House by Titanic Distillers will include the installation of three large stills on a mezzanine floor overlooking the original pumping engines which are situated deep in the pump-well.
All of the original pump equipment and associated internal historic features of the building will be retained and available to view as part of the associated visitor tour. Aside from restoration requirements, the exterior of the pump house will also remain largely untouched.
Richard Irwin, Director of Titanic Distillers, said: “There is a significant global market opportunity for Irish Whiskey and we’re already seeing great success for our Titanic Distillers Premium Irish Whiskey in retailers throughout Great Britain. With significant investment in a dedicated distillery, we’ll soon be able to produce and bottle our own products on this historic site and build on our success to date to grow in global markets, with an initial focus on the US.
“We’re very excited to embrace the history of our distillery’s location to create a unique product and visitor experience in a World Heritage Site, immersed in the spirit of Belfast’s industrial and maritime past and inspired by the people who worked in Belfast’s shipyard more than a century ago.”
Once completed, visitors to the Pump-House will ‘clock in’, as workers did a century ago, to view the workings of the distillery and hear the story of Belfast’s whiskey tradition, why it disappeared and how it has returned with the city’s first working whiskey distillery since the 1930s.
Ten jobs are already in place and recruitment is underway with operations, distilling, hospitality and sales opportunities available.
Invest Northern Ireland has provided support towards the creation of the 41 jobs and property assistance towards the redevelopment of the Pump-House.
Mel Chittock, Invest NI interim CEO, said: “It’s great to see the ongoing growth of the Irish Whiskey sector in Northern Ireland, and for us to be able to support this.
“We’ve worked with Titanic Distillers since 2020, offering business advice, and our property team has offered support to help create this state-of-the-art distillery and visitor centre. We’re also helping it to create a strong local team to drive business development and exporting, helping it to find its place on the world whiskey map.”
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