Some 70 new jobs will be created at the new Ivy restaurant in Belfast as part of an overall £8m investment, it can be revealed.
The firm says the construction process will see around 40 jobs being created, alongside 70 across a “range of hospitality disciplines” once the restaurant is open.
The restaurant chain is now beginning fit out at part of the former Cleaver House building at Donegall Place.
Planning consultancy TSA is acting on behalf of Troia Restaurants Ltd.
It’s now applied for fresh listed building consent for the new restaurant.
The company is now actively recruiting for a range of jobs. That includes bar manager, sous chef and waiter roles.
It comes two years after the Belfast Telegraph revealed the chain was taking over the site and bringing its first restaurant to Northern Ireland.
It’s also understood the restaurant could be open in time for Christmas this year.
The Ivy Collection wants to turn part of Cleaver House into a new two-storey restaurant.
With the listed Cleaver House building, much of its external and internal character remains.
The building was originally constructed in 1888, designed by architect Young & Mackenzie, and was a department store until 1984.
The restaurant chain opened its original location at West Street in London more than a century ago. It now runs more than 30 restaurants across the UK, including cafes and brasseries. It opened its first location in Dublin in 2018.