Clotworthy House gift shop could be replaced by ice cream parlour after running at almost £40k loss

IT’S been proposed that the gift shop at Clotworthy be transformed into an ice-cream parlour, after it ran at a deficit of £39,936 in 2024/25.

An ‘in confidence’ sitting of the Community Development Committee in October, closed to the public and press, sought approval for a Project Initiation Document (PID) for a proposed ‘Clotworthy Ice Cream Parlour capital project’.

The minutes said: “The gift shop at Clotworthy House in Antrim Castle Gardens was created as part of the 2011 restoration project, and stocks a wide range of local artisan crafts, home and garden gifts, and souvenirs.

“The shop forms part of the Clotworthy courtyard along with a café and the Garden Heritage Room and was open all year round.

“The shop is managed by Council staff.

“Over the last two full financial years the cost of operating the shop had been £39,936 in 2024/25 and £21,852 in 2023/24.

“To provide a better service to visitors and to generate a new income stream for the Council, it was proposed to convert the shop into an ice cream parlour, which would also sell a range of unique branded Antrim Castle Gardens and other tourism merchandise.

“The parlour would be run by the catering contractor operating the Clotworthy café, with an annual fee and/or percentage of sales paid to the Council.

“The catering contractor would also sell branded merchandise on behalf of the Council.

“The ice cream parlour would offer a wide range of high-quality ice creams and hot and cold drinks (with a greater emphasis on hot chocolate etc during the winter months).

“The parlour would complement and share outdoor seating with the existing courtyard café and would incorporate bench seating with overflow seating in the Garden Heritage Room, which would be fitted out with new furniture and lighting as part of the project.”

The estimated cost of the project was identified by the Capital team, but was redacted, with the cost of the project funded by capital financing over 15 years.

The report continued: “It was anticipated that the ice cream parlour would generate revenue for the Council of approximately £35,000 per annum from merchandise sales and commission, representing an overall budgetary improvement of more than £60,000 for the Council compared to 2024/25.”

The minutes continued: “If approved, this project would proceed to Stage 1 of the capital projects approval process, leading to the development of an Outline

Business Case (OBC).

“If the PID was approved, this project would be subject to Council’s capital approval process before work would commence.”

The minutes said that the Director of Community Development ‘provided assurance that the current estimated costs would be further refined during the preparation of the outline business case which would be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee’.

It was proposed by SDLP Antrim Town Councillor Roisin Lynch and seconded by DUP Alderman Stephen Ross and agreed that the Project Initiation Document for the proposed Clotworthy Ice Cream Parlour capital project be approved.