HALT at Weavers Cross, Belfast’s vibrant destination for food, drink, culture and community, has been recognised by the place-making industry with a prestigious Pineapple Award, in the highly contested Activation Category. The shortlist in this category was packed full of excellent projects such as Union Square, Canary Wharf , “The 108” at Brent Cross Town and Seven Sisters Temporary Market in London
The Pineapples celebrate the very best in placemaking and place-led initiatives across the UK, recognising projects that deliver positive social, environmental and economic impact while creating places where people can live, work and play.
Part of MRP’s £500 million Weavers Cross regeneration scheme, HALT has made a significant impact in its first year, creating more than 50 jobs, and establishing itself as a hub for local enterprise, culture and community engagement.
Judges praised HALT’s ambition and impact, saying they were: “deeply impressed” by the project and improvements to footfall, noting “the potential replication of this project to huge impact.”
Located adjacent to Belfast Grand Central Station, HALT has played an important role in improving connectivity in the city centre, linking Grand Central Station with Great Victoria Street, while helping to create a more welcoming environment for commuters, residents and visitors alike.
Paul Beacom, Weavers Cross Development Director at MRP, said: “HALT demonstrates what is possible when underutilised city centre spaces are reimagined with purpose. Winning the Pineapple Award is fantastic recognition of what has been achieved in a short period of time and reflects significant social and economic impact the project is having in Belfast.
“We have created far more than a temporary destination. HALT has become a vibrant hub for food, culture, entertainment and community activity that supports local businesses, which is delivering employment and social space for people in the city centre. This recognition reinforces our vision for Weavers Cross and what placemaking can achieve when people are put at the heart of regeneration.”
Momentum at HALT is set to continue, with MRP recently submitting plans for Phase 2 of the development, which, if approved, will introduce four covered padel courts, flexible retail units, co-working spaces, meeting rooms and enhanced pedestrian connectivity to the city centre.
James McGinn, Managing Director of Hastings Group, who operate the licenced area of HALT, said “We are delighted that HALT is establishing itself and will continue to grow over the next year. a meanwhile use, it’s a fantastic use of the former Europa Bus Centre concourse, helping to reanimate the space and create a vibrant, bustling area that once again draws people through it.”
The plans will create new opportunities for sport, work, retail and social activity, ensuring the site remains active throughout the day and into the evening as the wider Weavers Cross regeneration project continues to progress.
Paul Wilson, Retail Director at Savills, who led the letting of HALT’s initial phase to local food operators, said: “This award is a fitting recognition of HALT and the collective effort of multiple stakeholders in transforming the former Europa Bus Centre into a vibrant, destination-led hub. We are now preparing to launch Phase 2, which will introduce an exciting new mix of retail and co-working opportunities along a new pedestrian route directly linking HALT to Belfast Grand Central Station. This will further strengthen connectivity within the city centre while supporting the growing footfall generated by the largest integrated transport hub on the island of Ireland.”