100 jobs to go at Victoria Square

Victoria Square opened at a cost of £400m last March

Up to 100 people are to lose their jobs at Victoria Square in Belfast following the announcement that two restaurants in the centre are to close.

Staff at Chilli's and Maggiano's were told the news on Wednesday. The restaurants are owned by Brinker, which is closing all its UK outlets.

A Victoria Square spokesperson said the restaurants would close immediately.

The centre recently announced four new retailers are due to open creating about 70 full and part-time jobs.

To date several stores, including Zavvi and The Pier, have closed their doors since the centre opened in 2008.

Retailers in Victoria Square have also recently been given a 7% reduction in service charges to ease the financial burden.

About 10 million people have visited the centre since it opened in March 2008, about 2 million less than initial projections.