SVRgo has opened a new £2.25 million vehicle rental operation in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, creating four jobs as it expands its network across the island of Ireland. The vehicle rental business, part of Northern Ireland family-owned retailer Shelbourne Motors, has established its first Belfast base at Old Channel Road, adding a fourth location to its growing network.
A fleet of 50 cars, vans and minibuses is based at the new site following a £1.25 million investment in additional vehicles. The expansion takes SVRgo’s combined fleet across Belfast, Portadown, Newry and Dublin to 350. A further £50,000 has been invested in renovating the premises, with the overall £2.25 million commitment covering the cost of securing the site and establishing the new operation.
Four customer adviser and driver roles have been created, while SVRgo expects the Belfast operation to deliver 25 per cent sales growth during its first year. The opening represents the latest phase of a sustained investment programme driven by growing demand from commercial customers and the tourism sector.
Shelbourne Motors invested £800,000 in SVRgo in 2024 to fund a major upgrade and expansion of its vehicle fleet. The Belfast expansion takes its total investment in the rental business since 2024 to more than £3 million.
Paul Ward, Director of Shelbourne Motors, said: “Belfast has been an important market for us for some time. Demand from businesses and visitors has continued to grow, and we believe this is the right time to establish a permanent base in the city.
“The £2.25 million investment means SVRgo has entered the Belfast market with the scale to compete from day one. We have opened with 50 vehicles, a newly renovated facility and a local team, with cars, vans and minibuses available from the same location.
“We have taken a long-term approach to the growth of SVRgo. The new operation gives the business a presence in a key market, strengthens its wider network and creates four jobs, while retaining the personal service that has always been central to Shelbourne Motors.”
The Titanic Quarter operation provides self-drive car, van and minibus hire for individual customers, businesses and organisations. Its location offers convenient access to Belfast city centre, the city’s commercial districts, Belfast City Airport and the main road network, positioning SVRgo to serve local companies, visitors to Northern Ireland and customers requiring temporary replacement vehicles.
The expansion also allows SVRgo to build on Shelbourne Motors’ long-standing relationships with body repair businesses across Northern Ireland and further develop its replacement-vehicle service.
Gavin Thompson, Group Rental Manager at SVRgo, said: “Customers come to us with very different requirements. It could be a car for a short visit, a van to keep a business moving or a minibus for a group journey. Having all three available from our Belfast site means we can respond directly to what each customer needs.
“Our 50-vehicle Belfast fleet is supported by the scale and flexibility of the wider SVRgo network. That gives us the capacity to serve businesses, visitors and local customers from the outset.
“Titanic Quarter is well placed for people arriving in Belfast and for businesses operating across the city and further afield. Our focus is now on building long-term customer relationships, providing a straightforward and personal service and delivering the sales growth we have targeted for the first year.”
SVRgo provides short- and long-term rental services for business travel, tourism and personal use. It operates from Belfast and Shelbourne Motors’ multi-franchise sites in Portadown and Newry, with an additional vehicle collection point in Dublin.
Shelbourne Motors was founded by the Ward family in Portadown in 1973 and remains under the leadership of the second generation of the family.
The company sells more than 5,000 new and used vehicles annually and employs 185 people across its multi-award-winning dealerships in Portadown and Newry.
Shelbourne Motors operates franchises for Toyota, Renault, Nissan, Kia, Dacia and MAXUS, alongside its Autoselect used car brand, Fleet4U contract hire and leasing division and SVRgo vehicle rental business.