The House of Fraser is believed to be one of the possible anchor tenants for a new £100 million shopping centre to be built close to Royal Avenue in the centre of Belfast. The developers, Dunloe Ewart, one of Ireland's biggest property companies, has already acquired half the required land.

Executive director Mr Barry Gilligan said that more quality space was needed to attract major retailers to Northern Ireland, and that the centre was the most ambitious retail project undertaken in Belfast city centre since the construction of the Castlecourt shopping centre on the other side of Royal Avenue. He declined to say who the anchor tenant was likely to be.