Letheby & Christopher gets first Ireland deal

Letheby & Christopher, the event catering arm of Compass Group, is gearing up for the opening of its first contract in Ireland at the Belfast Waterfront Hall.

The venue, owned by Belfast City Council, is due to complete construction in November and open to the public in January.

It will be the biggest conference centre and concert hall in Ireland, with an auditorium seating 2,235 people, a studio seating 500 and 17 meeting rooms.

Letheby & Christopher won the 10-year catering contract against five other bidders and is predicting a turnover of around £2m a year once the hall is fully functional. "We will run a brasserie-style restaurant seating 190, two large bars, a snack service and conference and banqueting services," said Peter Taylor, regional managing director for the North.

Menu planning for the brasserie was under way and he anticipated an average lunchtime spend of £6-£7 and an average spend at dinner of £12-£15. "It will be a unique restaurant in Belfast, with a modern, busy feel," he said.

Banqueting menus are also being developed and it is hoped the venue will attract dinners for up to 1,000 people.