The beloved Belfast café was destroyed by a fire, but just weeks later they were in their beautiful new premises
Neighbourhood Café got back on their feet quickly thanks to a gorgeous new design by Crown Creative.
Good food and good coffee is a sure way to quickly gain fans, and Neighbourhood Café did just that when it opened in Belfast in late 2021. However, less than a year after opening their building was destroyed by a devastating fire.
With the support of the dedicated community who frequent the café, it wasn’t long until they set to work again, sourcing and fitting out a new space to call home in a matter of mere weeks.
Now nestled amongst the cobbled streets of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter in a considered, contemporary space, Neighbourhood Café’s beautiful new space was designed by Crown Creative. Ryan Crown and Aoife Mulvenna, who worked on the design, tell us more.
“The new space enabled us the opportunity to elevate and expand. Now located only a stone’s throw away from the original cafe, Neighbourhood sits between historic Commercial Court and Donegall Street on cobbled paths under a string of festoon lighting.
“The new spot brings in elements of the old cafe with bold, ‘Neighbourhood Green’ shutters, a Parisian-inspired scalloped awning and beautiful French green outdoor benches by Hay.”
The new space also gave them the opportunity to make some changes, while maintaining the café’s original style.
“With a larger floor area to play with, we doubled the seating capacity of the original cafe and elevated significant elements that make up Neighbourhood Cafe’s identity, such as the banquette, chairs, tables and the cafe counter. We referenced colour palettes, textures and tones from the original cafe interiors, interpreting them into something new. The material palette, for example, makes reference to the first location with a nod to the old, prominent brick walls through a beautiful, Ketley Brick slip floor.
“The remainder of the interiors are pared back with soft, off-white walls, brass detailing, an oak framed, quartz counter and chairs inspired by Danish designer H. Wegner. Lighting is warm, perfect for long winter days and hazy summer nights, with opal and clay pendants from Hand & Eye Studio. Finally a green two toned banquette brings the ‘Neighbourhood Green’ inside, creating a pop of colour against the lighter wall colour palette.”
The quick turnaround time, although a challenge, is a testament to their ability to work under pressure.
“We wanted to give Belfast Neighbourhood back as quickly as possible so there was an unusually quick turnaround time of 4-6 weeks. This included strip out, electrics, plumbing, joinery and FF&E procurement.
“Neighbourhood and its creative partner, Crown Creative, worked closely with a local fit out company, Abbey Joinery, who helped project manage the project and ensure we were back open for Christmas 2022. It was a stressful few weeks but seeing the Belfast community queuing outside again for their coffee and brunch made it all worth it!”
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