Spouses-to-be are helping a council-owned South Belfast mansion generate income after months of losing cash.
Georgian pile Malone House, located in Barnett Demesne Park, is available for hire on grand occasions, but late last year it was revealed income from the venue was down by up to £32,000 on the previous year.
Back then Belfast City Council promised “promotional campaigns” to boost interest in the building including targeting brides-to-be, which appears to be paying off.
A meeting last month of the council’s Development Committee heard how income from bookings was up by £7,000 from the previous quarter, though still far below what is expected.
However, a council spokesperson said: “This represents an improvement. The site, along with Belfast Castle, are currently running promotional campaigns, particularly around weddings, which may help to improve this [figure] by years end.”
South Belfast SDLP Councillor Bernie Kelly said the summer months should see a jump in the usage of Malone House, which would see profits rise even further.
“I hope we can see the property get back to its former glory,” she said.
“It’s a real asset, and as a wedding venue it’s magnificent.
“It would be a real shame if we didn’t manage to reduce the loss that we have seen in recent years, but it looks like the trend is reversing and we could be back in profit in the near future.”
