New accommodation facility, the Coastguard Boat House on Belfast Lough has been officially opened.
It’s the only original boat house anywhere in Belfast Lough that can be rented as a holiday facility.
It was officially opened by the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Paul Michael.
Dating back to the 1850s, the Coastguard Boat House, has retained many of its heritage features including a barred window, original boat rigging, beamed ceilings and its own slipway.
The Boat House is jointly owned by husband and wife team, Carol Magill and Colin Simms who purchased the property only last year, secured planning and renovating the building and gaining Tourism Northern Ireland accreditation.
With a location less than two metres from the sea, it is already causing waves with local and international visitors.
The Mayor said he was delighted to officially open the new facility.
“The Coastguard Boat House is a beautiful addition to our rich tourism offering and I wish Carol and Colin all the best in their new venture,” he added.
Speaking about their new property venture Colin said the Boat House has a fascinating history, and their vision was to immerse visitors in that story, a tale which is 200 years old, a time of smugglers and gun runners, political revolution and political change.
“The view of the sea is amazing, but so is the combination of greenery and the cranes, the sunrises, and the cruise ships which sail past the window, following in Titanic’s journey across the lough,” he said.
Colin said the focus is also on customer service, helping people relax and enjoy precious time out with a fully fitted kitchen, and clever use of space.
“Since our soft opening in December, we have welcomed guests from Scarborough, Ballymena, Wyoming USA, Dublin and Fermanagh, with the Boat House already near 70% capacity in January.
“In the coming months the Boat House will welcome Australians, Canadians, and many more Americans,” he added.
And he said as a new business, they are grateful to the Council for its support with mentoring to help gain an insight into the hospitality industry.