Coffee bar chain to create 15 new jobs

The company, which this week officially unveiled two newly refurbished outlets in Belfast city centre, is planning to open several new sites in the coming year as part of a multi-million pound investment with retailer Next plc.

“The Newtownabbey store will be in a new purpose built Next in Abbeycentre, opening in March 2015,” a spokesperson for Ground confirmed.

Commenting on the £100,000 refurbishment of the outlets in the Next and Waterstones shops in Belfast, and the plans for future expansion, company owner Karen Gardiner said: “This is a significant investment for a local company and we look forward to further investment and job creation in the coming months, with a multi-million pound expansion plan with Next plc, where we have already confirmed two new sites in Newry and Newtownabbey and are finalising a further six locations across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, creating in excess of 100 new jobs in the next 12 months.”

Employing more than 120 staff across 11 stand-alone stores and concessions in Northern Ireland, the Ground brand has gained a reputation for quality coffee and a focus on locally-sourced produce.