The Spaniard in Skipper Sreet will have its 20th anniversary in 2026
An institution in Belfast City Centre nightlife is to extend its entertainments licence, four years after new opening hours legislation was introduced.
Elected representatives at the Belfast City Council Licensing Committee this week granted an extension to the entertainments licence held by the Spaniard, at Skipper Street, in the Cathedral Quarter. The Spaniard will celebrate its 20th anniversay next year.
The old hours for the Spaniard’s entertainments licence were Monday to Saturday 11:30am to 2am the following morning, and Sunday 12:30pm to 2am the following morning.
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The new licence variation will extend the hours for entertainment to 3am the following morning on every night of the week. Entertainment is provided with DJ’s and live bands on Friday and Saturday nights.
The council licensing report states: “The licensee has stated that they would like the variation to extend the permitted hours until 3am as they feel the premises is an integral part of Belfast’s nightlife, and that an increase in operating hours will allow them to compete within the sector, which is essential for the commercial success of the business.”
The PSNI and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service made no objections to the request.
Janine Kane, owner/manager of the Spaniard, and also other popular bars such as Muriel’s Cafe Bar and the Jeggy Nettle, appeared before the Licensing Committee on Wednesday evening.
She said: “You are probably quite aware at the minute (what) everybody trying to operate in hospitality or retail (is facing), from Colin Neill (CEO of Hospitality Ulster) and the feedback he is getting directly from operators. We basically have the highest energy prices in Europe, and the sector gets disproportionately high rates and VAT.
“For us this is a late opportunity to be more competitive with other operators around us who already have a 3am licence, but it also is in order for the business to survive. We are all very aware of the cost of living.”
She said the year-long pilot for late night transport in the city was “greatly appreciated” and said the business was now “in the position to utilise the 3am extension.”
She added: “It’s not that we are planning on using (the extension) on every occasion…If it is beneficial for us to extend that extra hour (we will use it) but if it is not we will not be operating… It is just for us there as a safety catch. Obviously over the Christmas period we are likely to utilise it, but in the new year, it may just operate on a Saturday evening.”
Councillors unanimously agreed to give the extension to the licence.
New legislation introduced in October 2021 allowed pubs and hotels everywhere in Northern Ireland to apply to serve drinks until 2am up to 104 nights per year, and to extend drinking-up time from 30 minutes to an hour, with the net effect that premises with the correct entertainment licences would not close until at least 3am.
The changes also included all additional restrictions on opening hours over Easter weekend being removed and opening hours on Sunday evenings falling in line with other evenings.
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