Businesses struggle in wake of Belfast fire

Andy Rea, owner of the Mourne Seafood Bar

After one of the busiest summers he’d had since he opened the Mourne Seafood Bar in Belfast 11 years ago, Andy Rea was looking forward to doing good trade in the run-up to Christmas. But then came August 28.

That day, the the landmark five storey Bank Buildings, which is owned by Primark, was engulfed by a fire that would not be fully extinguished for days, and that would see the erection of ...