Former Ballymena pub to become £1 million community hub

By The Newsroom
Published 30th Jun 2017, 12:34 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 11:17 BST
The Raglan Project - an ambitious plan to transform Harryville - has been launched with the aim of renovating a former pub and creating a new business and cultural hub. Attending the launch were William Millar of the Raglan Community Development Renovation Society, Tiziana O'Hara of Co-operative Alternatives, Jackie Patton Head of Community Planning and Development for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Nigel McKinney of the Building Change Trust.The Raglan Project - an ambitious plan to transform Harryville - has been launched with the aim of renovating a former pub and creating a new business and cultural hub. Attending the launch were William Millar of the Raglan Community Development Renovation Society, Tiziana O'Hara of Co-operative Alternatives, Jackie Patton Head of Community Planning and Development for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Nigel McKinney of the Building Change Trust.
The Raglan Project - an ambitious plan to transform Harryville - has been launched with the aim of renovating a former pub and creating a new business and cultural hub. Attending the launch were William Millar of the Raglan Community Development Renovation Society, Tiziana O'Hara of Co-operative Alternatives, Jackie Patton Head of Community Planning and Development for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Nigel McKinney of the Building Change Trust.
A former public house destroyed by an IRA bomb more than 40 years ago is being transformed into a £1million community hub that will bring jobs and hope to one of Ballymena's most deprived areas.

Raglan Community Development Renovation Society today launched a £120,000 community share offer to begin the first phase of a project that will turn the former Raglan Bar in Harryville into a thriving business and cultural centre.

Secretary of the society, William Millar said this offer gave the people of Harryville the chance to become shareholders and have a stake in a project that will regenerate an area that has suffered years of neglect and decline.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “This project is about using people power to restore an area that has not benefited from the peace dividend. We are creating a shared space with business units, exhibition areas and educational services.”

Politicians got behind the launch of the Raglan Project - an ambitious plan to transform Harryville which aims to renovate a former pub and create a new business and cultural hub. Pictured are: North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, Mid and East Antrim Councillor Declan O'Loan, Chair of Raglan Community Development Renovation Society Stephen Burns and Robin Swann Ulster Unionist Leader and North Antrim MLA.Politicians got behind the launch of the Raglan Project - an ambitious plan to transform Harryville which aims to renovate a former pub and create a new business and cultural hub. Pictured are: North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, Mid and East Antrim Councillor Declan O'Loan, Chair of Raglan Community Development Renovation Society Stephen Burns and Robin Swann Ulster Unionist Leader and North Antrim MLA.
Politicians got behind the launch of the Raglan Project - an ambitious plan to transform Harryville which aims to renovate a former pub and create a new business and cultural hub. Pictured are: North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, Mid and East Antrim Councillor Declan O'Loan, Chair of Raglan Community Development Renovation Society Stephen Burns and Robin Swann Ulster Unionist Leader and North Antrim MLA.

The site has already undergone some restoration and the building is currently occupied by Slemish n tha Braid Credit Union. The plan is to develop the part not used by the credit union to transform it into a multi-purpose business/community hub used by residents, local community organisations and businesses.

When completed, the centre will contain up to nine new business units, a space for community projects and groups and an exhibition area connecting Harryville to its history.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has provisionally agreed a financial package to support the project and this will be used to leverage more capital funding to complete the £412,000 first phase of the project.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad