103 – 107 Royal Avenue

Last Update: 28 Dec 2021 | Planning Status Updated

  • Address: 103 - 107 Royal Avenue, Belfast, BT1 2GU
  • Use: Retail
  • Additional Uses: Office
  • Floors: 4
  • Project Status: Completed
  • Start Date:

    1883

  • Completion Date:

    1884

  • Developer:

    Forster Green & Co., tea merchants

  • Architect:

    Thomas Jackson & Son

  • Contractor:

    T.D. Dixon & Co.

A four storey building fronting onto Royal Avenue (nos.103-107) with a curved elevation turning into North Street (no.77). Designed by Thomas Jackson & Son and built 1883-1884 by T. D. Dixon & Co. for Forster Green & Co., tea merchants.

Forster Green & Co. operated a shop from nos.103-105 until c1915 when Sinclair & Co., drapers took over the unit.

Montague Burton Ltd acquired the building from Forster Green & Co. Ltd in December 1939. Burtons operated a shop from nos.103-105 until c1990.

The building was B1 listed in June 1979 and extensively refurbished in 1989 by Mairs & Wray architects.

Today nos.103-105 is let to The Money Shop (since 2007) and no.107 is occupied by The Belfast Tea & Coffee Co. coffee shop (since 2011/12). The upper floors are vacant office accommodation.

Hylaw Investments Ltd owned the building since at least 1998. Deloitte (NI) Ltd was appointed receiver over the property in November 2016 and Lambert Smith Hampton brought the property to market in January 2017 with a guide price of £800,000. The property sold for £1.1m during summer 2017.

SMFD Ltd submitted a planning application (LA04/2018/1787/F) in July 2018 proposing to extend the building to the rear. The application was approved in August 2019.