Belfast's Shu set to relaunch next month following £1m refit and expansion

Modern French-inspired restaurant Shu in Belfast is relaunching on 9 October following a £1m refit, expansion and rebrand.

The venue opened in October 2000, and since lockdown has been undergoing a complete redesign, including expansion into the neighbouring property.

The relaunched site will incorporate three different dining concepts: Shu, the Upper House and Jul's. Shu will remain on the main ground floor, with the top floor extension becoming the Upper House designed for flexible private dining, while the basement will be relaunched as Jul's bar and restaurant with evening DJ performances and live jazz piano on Sunday afternoons.

The Upper House will become a private dining space with two rooms, the Club Room and the Board Room, which have sliding doors between them that allow the space to become one larger room.

Alan Reid, co-owner of Shu, said: "We and the entire team, many of whom have been with us since the early days, are delighted to finally reach this point in our 20-year history where we are investing in the next chapter. This huge financial investment is testament to the quality of our food and hospitality, the hard work of our team and the loyalty of our guests throughout the years.

"We are confidently emerging from the pandemic lockdown, which has been the greatest-ever challenge to the local and global hospitality industry. We fully plan to come out stronger, brighter and even more confident."

Brian McCann, head chef and co-owner, added: "This refit and expansion is a sign of the strength of our brand and the local hospitality sector in general. There is a real sense of anticipation about the relaunch as it marks some positive news for the local hospitality industry, which has suffered so much this year.

"We look forward to getting back to business and giving our much-valued guests new experiences and memories as we approach our third decade in the city."