Titanic pump house set for £7.6m whiskey distillery conversion

The Titanic pump house is being converted into a new whiskey distillery in a £7.6m investment.

Invest NI is supporting the project which will create 41 jobs and it is hoped it could open as soon as November.

Titanic Distillers is behind the project beside Thompson Dock, which will include a visitor centre.

Director Richard Irwin described a "significant global market opportunity for Irish whiskey".

The conversion will include the installation of three large stills on a mezzanine floor overlooking the original pumping engines.

All of the original pump equipment and associated internal features of the building will be retained.

Mr Irwin said: "We're already seeing great success for our Titanic Distillers Premium Irish whiskey in retailers throughout Great Britain."

Director Peter Lavery added: "In the days before Prohibition, Belfast was once the largest producer of Irish whiskey on the island of Ireland.

"Whiskey played an important part in the history of our city but there hasn't been a working distillery here for almost 90 years."

All of the original pump equipment and associated internal features of the building will be retained

Ten jobs are already in place and recruitment is under way, with operations, distilling, hospitality and sales opportunities available.

Economy Minister Gordon Lyons welcomed the move as he visited the site in the east of the city on Thursday.

"By making such a significant investment this local start up has already been able to increase its global sales and is now set to provide an exciting new tourism offering for Belfast and Northern Ireland," he said.

Invest NI interim chief executive Mel Chittock said a lot of people come to Northern Ireland for the whiskey heritage, and that the new distillery complemented existing distilleries at Crumlin Road Gaol, Hinch Distillery and Bushmills.

"In total we now have 10 distilleries producing a mixture of either whiskey or vodka or gin across Northern Ireland which is fantastic news," he said.