Friday Morning Market - St Georges,

I love a Friday morning nosey round the market, I used to work next door to St Georges so it still gives me that feeling you had during a sick day at school.

First things first, SD Bells stall for a coffee then go for a wander.

Many of the stall holders can trace trading at St Georges back across 3 or 4 generation of family. You can get everything here from picture hooks to langoustines, a packet of dusters or Belgian chocolates. I love the weird bric-a-brac, stuff especially.

Whilst the market has changed with the times, you still have the sense of the original Victorian market. The noise, clatter, the smell of fish as you near the counter, the harsh edged accent of a bit of Belfast banter in the air. I’ve often wondered has the Friday morning market developed from the traditional Irish catholic habit of eating fish on a Friday? Regardless the market now has the largest fish counter in Ireland.

As someone recently put it the Saturday market is “a bit more middle class” focusing primarily on food and has a feel of a slightly upmarket ‘continental’ market, with the addition of music and entertainers. It’s a great resource for small local producers to have a retail outlet to the public for minimal cost and you find a selection of food that’s far and above anything you get at the woeful city hall market. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning but it’s the original Friday market I love most.

There has been a Friday market on the St. George’s site since 1604, Originally St George’s Market was an open market with stalls and included a meat market and slaughter house. Its name may have come from St George’s Church in High Street. The current St George’s Market was commissioned by the Belfast Corporation (now Belfast City Council). It was built in three phases between 1890 and 1896.

Interestingly following heavy German bombing during the Belfast blitz on Easter Tuesday 1941, St George’s Market was used as an emergency mortuary. Some 700 people were killed during the raids with 255 bodies brought to the market for identification.

By the end of the 1980’s the market faced the threat of closure. Public pressure lead to investment being made and refurbishment began. The renovated St George’s Market opened on 14 May 1999.

Today it’s used to Conferences, Concerts, Product launches and a Market every Fri and Sat. During the summer they are also trying Sunday opening. Give it a go, it really is great crack.

Malone House

Shrouded in trees just above Shaws Bridge stands Malone House. It has the feeling of a rural stately home but we are minutes away from the top of the Malone Road.

It has a simple understated elegence, I love the symmetry of the sash windows at the front in particular and how at the rear of the house the land drops away providing a stunning vista of the Castlereagh hills. It really is a beautiful house and I’ve loved it since studying it for a school project in primary school.

William Legge built Malone House on the site of an old fort around 1820, which he occupied until his death in 1868. The last private tenant William Barnett died in 1943, leaving the house, and its grounds, to the City of Belfast. After the Second World War, and some ground development, Barnett’s Park opened in 1951, with Malone House providing a tea-room.

In 1970, the National Trust leased Malone House, as its Northern Ireland Headquarters, until the building was bombed on 11 November 1976 and all but destroyed by resultant fire. Belfast City Council, upon public demand, began rebuilding Malone House in 1980 and the new refurbished house was opened in 1982. It now houses a cafe, art gallery and is used for weddings.

Sadly inside some parts of the 1980’s restoration were better done than others and the feel is much more of a function suite than of the grand house it once was. Malone House serves lunch Mon-Sat for £23 for two courses for two people and it also serves Sunday lunch.

Walking round the building gave me a feeling of waste, so much more could be done with this space. I’m stunned it has never been opened as a restaurant at night and the cafe really could do much more than at present, especially with a venue like this at the top of the Malone Road. It’s just crying out for a little bit of the glamour it once had.

www.malonehouse.co.uk

Lagan Lock Keepers Cottage.

I was out for a cycle along the lagan river this afternoon and whilst the towpath could hardly be described as “Hidden Belfast” it really is idyllic on a sunny day. Even on this well trodden path however lurk hidden gems.

This old lock keepers cottage has only been recently restored and sadly has limited opening hours, so this was my first time inside. The Cottage was originally owned by the Kilpatrick family being built in the 1880’s. While the last “lighter” Barge went down the Lagan in 1958 Mr Kilpatrick the last lock keeper stayed on as a groundskeeper. His daughter then stayed on in the property until as late as 1993.

It’s a tiny two room house with a low ceiling just above 6ft. A ladder gives access to the upstairs where 10 children slept at one time. The fire acting as a cooker/heater and the second room as the bedroom for parents as well as a parlour or “good room” for guests.

A careful restoration has retained the atmosphere of the cottage without it feeling twee and manufactured. It really brought home how much life has changed in Belfast in the Last 50 years.

The cottage is open 11-12 and 2-3 Tuesday and Thursday.

Newforge also has a new addition in the shape of a 1972 Citroen HY Van, it’s an absolutely beautiful vehicle owned by “Attridge and Cole” who provide good coffee and pastry things from it.

You can see more about the van and Attridge and Cole in general @ www.attridgeandcole.com/

Asian Supermarket - Ormeau Road.

The “Asian Supermarket” is just off the Ormeau Road and it has been a part of my life for a long time. It’s been there over 20 yrs. My folks took me at first, being 1980’s foodies.

Back in the days of Stewarts and Crazy Prices even olive oil was still a bit unusual, so this place felt wildly exotic, it still does.

I fancied a Thai Green Curry for dinner so decided to take the camera.

I shop here maybe once a month. Entering from a non-descript exterior, you’re hit by the smell of spices, brightly coloured packets and strange fruit you won’t see anywhere else and the constant chatter of languages you don’t understand. I love this place, even if I have no idea what you cook with at least half of what’s on the shelves. Truly authentic produce from Malaysia/China/Thailand/Japan and the starting point for any number of culinary adventures. It still has that feel of somehow leaving Northern Ireland at the door and being transported to a supermarket in Hong Kong.

Call in, Its not expensive and you’ll probably end up with a great dinner out of it. This section of the Ormeau Rd has quite a few supermarkets now catering to many of N.Ireland’s Immigrant communities. I often get spices for Indian curries from Bangla Bazaar round the corner.

The first photo is by Moochin Photoman, you can check out the rest of his work here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23386031@N00/

John Longs Fish and Chip Shop.

I called into John Long’s fish and chip shop today. While your only minutes from the tourist heartland of Belfast with The Crown Bar only round the corner this gem is a whole other world. Long’s now owned by Michael Copeland has been in existence for almost a century and is housed in an old red brick warehouse in a pretty barren industrial area. It’s now literally the only building in the street.

Seating comes from old school Formica booths; I remember fuscos in West Belfast used to have seats like this before it moved in the 1980’s.

I had to ask the woman behind the counter how long it had been there as it didn't say anywhere inside, "96-97 something years" she said. They serve proper pots of tea, peas/bread and butter side orders and coke that comes in a proper coke glass. This isn’t ironic retro design, it’s just somewhere that has done its job well and without fanfare for so long that no one wanted to change it and it hasn’t changed that much in decades.

The chips here taste different to other chips in Belfast; this is down apparently to the use of the drier English Maris Pipers not our more moist native spuds, although the Cod is straight from Ardglass.

Having ordered a pastie supper (£3.30) and a coke (£1.10), a fresh cod fish supper is £6. I was about to tuck into my pastie and chips when a large family of travellers appeared in spread across about four booths. Then two of the families’ wee lads began to pretend to spar with each other. One of the fellas in the group roared over to what looked like his granda for “any aul king size skins for an aul joint like”.

I paid my bill and as I left I found the lad smoking outside.
Long’s makes a great Lunch and is literally “cheap as chips”, check it out. Go up between Jury’s Inn and The Fitzwilliam, past Mc Causland’s Motors and it’s on your left.
If you’re over in East Belfast I’m also a big fan of the Bethany on Cregagh Road.
Sadly I left the SD card for my camera at home so the pics come courtesy of www.doshermanos.co.uk

Belvoir Park Hospital (closed)

Belvoir park hospital is located in South Belfast close to the Forestside shopping centre.

“The hospital, which opened in 1906, was originally known as Purdysburn Fever Hospital and later Montgomery House, before being renamed Belvoir Park Hospital in the 1960s. Throughout its lifespan, the hospital was the main regional centre for oncology, offering radiotherapy and chemotherapy. treatments.[1] Belvoir Park Hospital closed in March 2006, when cancer treatment, including radiotherapy, was transferred to Belfast City Hospital.” (Wikipedia)

I remember this hospital being open and visiting my great aunt there, these pictures posted by “Rookinella” on the 28 days later forum show the now closed Belvoir park hospital as it is today. They have a very spooky end of days feeling and I love the pictures of the vintage equipment.

These pictures and many more can be found by clicking the link below.

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=40671