Council commits £1.25m to Primark fire city recovery

The historic Bank Buildings premises is in an "extremely dangerous state", Belfast City Council has said

Belfast City Council has said it will commit £1.25m to a recovery fund for the city centre following the fire at Primark.

It comes on top of a recent £500,000 donation from the retailer.

In a statement, the council said the historic Bank Buildings premises is in "an extremely dangerous state".

Storm Ali brought down an internal steel beam and debris also fell from the building.

"The greatest concerns are around the stability of the chimneys and clock tower and the upper floor."

The fire on 28 August left Primark's flagship store destroyed.

Assessors have still been unable to enter the building at ground floor level - a month after the devastating blaze.

The council's funding decision was made at a meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and does not require ratification by full council.

The statement said councillors have agreed that "a cash flow support package for the worst affected businesses would be developed over the next two weeks".

The investment is designed to "improve connection and movement and make key streets and thoroughfares attractive".

The council and retail organisations have asked the government to provide additional financial help - but nothing has been forthcoming so far.

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The NI Retail Consortium said the money "will go a long way to alleviate the hardship being felt" by many businesses.

A cordon remains in place around Castle Junction while 14 businesses remain closed for up to four months.

Primark has said it is committed to re-establishing itself in Belfast.

Committee chair and Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers said: "The scale of this disaster has had an immediate and profound impact on Belfast city centre and has left us facing huge challenges in the weeks and months ahead.

"We are determined as a council to lead this recovery operation and offer our business community all the support it needs to get back to business as usual, and to support those traders who, while outside the cordon, are also suffering a reduction in footfall and sales.

"We will be meeting again with all of the businesses affected in the coming days to help decide what will drive footfall in their particular area, between now and Christmas," added Mr Rodgers.

At the time of the fire, the Primark store was being refurbished and extended at an estimated cost of £30m.