A treat for the whole community
Sold cafe being transferred into community hub
A major regeneration project is set to reinvigorate the heart of Belturbet with the transformation of the old Dinkin’s Cafe on Main Street into a modern Community, Enterprise and Tourism Hub.
The development, supported under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, includes the partial demolition, retention, refurbishment, and extension of existing buildings on both Main Street and Patrick Street. It is set to start in late autumn. A new multi-purpose building will also be constructed to the rear of these properties, creating a vibrant, inclusive space for the wider community.
“The plan is to turn the building into a community hub with remote working desks, meeting rooms, offices, and spaces for kids and teenagers,” local Cllr Brendan Fay explained. The initiative aims to boost accessibility, economic vitality, and social cohesion in Belturbet and neighbouring towns Newtownbutler and Clones.
As a measure to rejuvenate rural communities, then Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys announced the funding in 2024 as part of a broader strategy.
“This initiative is all about giving our local communities the tools to address the challenges of vacancy and dereliction in their towns and villages,” she said.
“Through this funding, we are taking those run-down buildings and turning [them] into facilities that will benefit communities for generations to come. By doing so, we will help to drive footfall into our town centres, increase tourism and, above all, make our rural towns and villages even better places to live, work, invest, visit and raise a family,” said the then Minister at the time.
Cllr Fay, who has been closely involved in the project, highlighted the importance of community input. “That has gone in for funding,” he said of the old Dinkin’s café site, explaining that a public consultation revealed that there was little space for teenagers in Belturbet.
The hub is expected to serve as a model of sustainable rural development, in line with the Government’s ‘Our Rural Future’ strategy.