TRIBUTES have been paid to a South Belfast businessman who died after "getting into difficulty" while swimming in the sea off the Co Down coast.

Paul Bradley (63) owned the popular Café Fish on the Lisburn Road. Emergency services were tasked to the scene of the South Promenade in Newcastle on Wednesday morning at around 10am. Despite attempts to revive him, Paul was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna has paid tribute to Paul following his passing.

"This is tragic and shocking news. Paul was a local businessman of decades standing and built Café Fish on the Lisburn Road to become the South Belfast institution that  it is today," she said. “His loss to the community will be keenly felt, Paul was a larger than life character, warm and friendly – his catchphrase of ‘order on’ bellowed back into the kitchen was known by many. 

“He was a family friend and my mum was talking to him only last week and he was saying how he was spending more time in Newcastle, enjoying a bit of downtime after decades of throwing himself into the business.

"Our thoughts are with his beloved wife Gabby and their family as they deal with this awful shock."

Alliance South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw said that she was a regular customer at the café.

“I am deeply shocked and saddened by this awful news,” she said. “I regularly frequent the cafe myself, and I know Paul’s loss will be deeply felt right across the community.

"My sincerest condolences to Gabby, to the whole family, and to the extremely wide circle of friends.”