Cynera Rodricks

🏨 Ciaran O’Neill is appointed managing director of The Bedford Hotel Belfast, set to open in May after an 18-month redevelopment. Located in the 1904 Scottish Mutual Building, the hotel features 82 bedrooms, a restaurant, and a café bar. O’Neill, also managing director of Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry, will oversee both properties for RFM Hotels. Mike Gatt and JP McCafferty will manage daily operations. The project is part of a revitalization behind Belfast City Hall.

🏠 Galgorm Castle Education and Preservation Ltd has submitted a £14 million planning application for a regeneration project at Galgorm Castle. The plan includes transforming the 17th-century Jacobean castle into a boutique hotel. It will create 125 construction jobs and 90 permanent positions, totaling 215 new jobs. Additionally, the project will feature a 60-seat heritage hub and a 120-seat music arts centre, enhancing connectivity with the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site at Gracehill.