Scottish Mutual Building

The Scottish Mutual Building

THE SCOTTISH MUTUAL BUILDING, 15-16, Donegall Square South, Belfast, is an Edwardian block built in 1904 to the designs of Henry Seaver.

The building is bounded on three sides by Donegall Square South, Bedford Street, and James Street South.

From its northern elevation it overlooks City Hall.

The building was originally called the Scottish Temperance Building, though its name was changed later to the Scottish Mutual Building.

This baronial pile, made with dark red Ballochmyle sandstone, is six storeys in height, with corbelled turrets at each corner.

Smaller turrets flank a central crow-stepped gable on one façade.

Larvikite pilasters and stall risers complement the ground floor units.

Open arcading under deep eaves at fourth floor

Dormer windows and chimneys also survive.

The Scottish Temperance Building ca 1908 (Welch Collection/NMNI)

The Scottish Mutual Building was purchased in 2013 by the Tullymore House hotel group, which owns Galgorm Resort and Spa in County Antrim.

The building was sold by the Irish government's National Asset Management Agency (Nama), with an asking price of £1.75m.

Signature Living acquired the property for £6m during 2017, and work began on transforming it into a hotel, to be named the George Best Hotel.

Work was progressing on the hotel until about April, 2020, when the company went into administration.

The building was vacant and unfinished until 2023, when it was acquired by Martin Property Group.

It is to be renamed The Bedford Hotel, and will have 102 rooms, a restaurant, and a café bar.

The new hotel is expected to open in autumn, 2025.

First published in June, 2013.