Lesley Forestside (better known as Forestside) is a shopping centre located in Newtownbreda in south Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first phase of the centre, the Sainsbury's store, opened in March 1997 followed by the remainder of the centre in September 1998.
History
thumb|Forestside viewed from the [[A24 road (Northern Ireland)|A24 with Sainsbury's in the foreground and Dunnes Stores in the distance.]]
Construction
Supermac, when it opened in 1964, was Northern Ireland's first supermarket; when Sainsbury's announced its move into the Northern Ireland market on 20 June 1995, Supermac's Newtownbreda site was one of seven identified for future stores. Supermac had planned to redevelop the site itself in a £30 million project, however a company director pointed out that the company would be at the peak of its overdraft at the same time as facing competition from Sainsbury's opening its first stores in Northern Ireland. The Irish Times quoted the director as saying "that was a situation we didn't find particularly acceptable." The Sainsbury's store was built on the northern part of the roughly triangular site which was unoccupied as part of the Supermac complex. Sainsbury's first annual report after the store opened in March 1997 noted that the store was "trading far above expectations".
Sainsbury's paid £1.75 million for an alcohol sales licence for its off-licence in the centre. However this allowed Sainsbury's, with just two off-licences open in Northern Ireland in 1997, to capture 6% of the market. In January 1998 The Grocer reported that sales at the Forestside off-licence were £140,000 a week. In January 2001 USS sold the centre to Foyleside Ltd. for £70 million. Foyleside Ltd. owned Foyleside in Derry, the Abbey Centre in Newtownabbey and the Buttercrane Centre in Newry.
2000s and 2010s
On 26 March 2005, the centre's Next outlet was targeted with an incendiary device which ignited after it had closed. Another device was defused in the centre's Dunnes Stores on 28 March. The campaign, which also included an attack that destroyed a B&Q store at Sprucefield, County Down, was blamed on dissident republicans.
On 23 November 2006, Marks & Spencer announced a £35 million investment in its Northern Ireland business, £8 million of which was invested in its Forestside store. This involved remodelling, the addition of a second floor to add and a multi-storey car park.
In an article discussing the reform of local government, The Belfast Telegraph described Forestside as a "cash cow" which delivers annual rates of over £4 million to its local authority.
In summer 2013 River Island, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Evans all closed. Next expanded into the former River Island Unit. Other new retailers to open included O2 store, Vision Express and Blue Inc.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, several companies owning units such as Warehouse and Oasis (Owned by Aurora Fashions) and Clintons went into administration. The latter unit was purchased by Hallmark Cards.
2020s
In September 2023, Forestside was purchased for £42 million by Mussenden Properties Limited, itself owned by local entrepreneurs Michael and Lesley Herbert. The shopping centre was subsequently rebranded as Lesley Forestside. Construction of four new restaurants commenced in January 2024. One of these is occupied by Popeyes, the company's first restaurant in Northern Ireland, other units are occupied by Nando's, Greggs and Starbucks.
In 2025, planning permission for a terrace-style expansion of the centre was granted, adding four retail units. One unit is currently occupied by Hotel Chocolat and another will be occupied by Søstrene Grene.