Operational Readiness Review for Belfast Stories Development

Belfast City Council is seeking a multidisciplinary team of specialist consultants to undertake an independent operational readiness review of the Belfast Stories project, a major city centre development combining a visitor attraction, creative hub, and public spaces. The review will test whether the current RIBA stage 3 design can be operated effectively and viably as a business. The consultant team should have expertise in cultural and visitor attraction operations, venue and event management, commercial operations, facilities management, business planning, and financial modelling. Key tasks include: reviewing the operability of the design (layout, adjacencies, equipment specifications); assessing visitor journeys, flows, capacities and dwell times; testing practical operational scenarios; and validating financial assumptions in the Outline Business Case covering income streams (admissions, events, food and beverage, commercial) and expenditure areas (staffing, utilities, maintenance, facilities management, technical operations, programming, renewals). The consultant team will work with the Belfast Stories Project Team throughout the commission, participating in review sessions and workshops. The deliverable is an integrated report with recommendations to inform RIBA stage 4 design development, future operator procurement, and the Full Business Case. The report must be completed by 30 September 2026. Key reference documents will be provided, including RIBA stage 3 designs, financial models, people movement studies, and visitor demand analysis. This is preliminary market engagement to gather feedback on the realism, appropriateness, and deliverability of the proposed commission.