The History Of Tourism In Belfast Tourism Essay

Belfast became a metropolis in 1888 after a rapid addition in it ‘s population from around 20,000 in 1800 to 349,000 in 1901 and in 1939 438,000 people lived in the metropolis. Populating conditions were hapless due to the deficiency of substructure and overcrowding which lead to a lower that mean life anticipation.

In 1773 around 17million paces of linen was exported from Belfast, this industry had quickly increased and drew more people to the metropolis from the environing countryside for employment.

Shipbuilding began in 1791 and the celebrated Hardland and Wolff opened in 1862 using 30,000 people in it ‘s premier.

In 1904 Belfast Tram lines opened leting public conveyance to make the radius roads of the metropolis.

In 1941 Belfast suffered a major onslaught from the Germans known as the Belfast Blitz during World War II. Some 900 people were killed[ I ]and 3,200 places were destroyed as Belfast was considered a menace due to its ship edifice industry. The Blitz had a big consequence on the architecture of the metropolis, many edifices were destroyed, some of which were non rebuilt. See Figure of High Street with pointers indicating to edifices destroyed. Images http: //multitext.ucc.ie/

Tim Lambert A Timeline of Belfast hypertext transfer protocol: //www.localhistories.org/belfasttime.html

Noteworthy designers Charles Lanyon 1813-1889 was an applied scientist who moved from England to Dublin in 1830 and subsequently moved to Belfast. He engineered the Ormeau and Queens Bridges in the metropolis supplying of import links to the West of the metropolis. Lanyon was besides an designer responsible for some of the most recognizable edifices in the metropolis, Queens University Lanyon Building, The Palm House in the Botanic Gardens was an early illustration of Curvilinear Iron and Glass Structure with its dome added in 1852.

hypertext transfer protocol: //www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/palmhouse.asp

Belfast Castle, Linenhall Library, Customs House 1857 Italian Renaissance manner, Crumlin Road Gaol and Courthouse both of which are at the Centre of major renovation programs are all farther illustrations of recognizable edifices which Lanyon designed that play a important function in the history and touristry of the metropolis.

hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/charleslanyon.htm

William J Barre, Newry 1830-1867 trained under the influential designer Thomas Duff.

Barre is renowned for the The Albert Memorial Clock 1865 on Victoria Street Belfast which has undergone resent Restoration work in 2000-2002.

Ulster hall opened 1862 and seated some 2000 audience members, it was at the clip, one of the largest music locales in the British Isles

The Methodist Church, University Road, 1864 which is presently on the edifices at hazard registry and is for sale as a possible renovation but has been neglected for many old ages.

The Provincial Bank 1864, Castle Place, Belfast, now a Tesco shops retail merchant. Which is a superb illustration of sustainable Restoration plants of a historical edifice. It ‘s premier location off Royal Avenue leads to the changeless flow of clients, and the beautiful domed roof and ornate characteristics are extremely unexpected in such a big retail merchants.

JAMES STEVENS CURL. “ Barre, William Joseph. “ A A Dictionary of Architecture and LandscapeA A A Architecture. 2000.A Encyclopedia.com. ( January 3, 2011 ) .A hypertext transfer protocol: //www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-BarreWilliamJoseph.html

Thomas Duff of Newry 1792-1848 st Patricks school Belfast Gothic resurgence, first national school in Belfast late underwent Restoration work by BBPT. The museum college sq North.

History is the foundations of our national civilization, our edifices act like bookmarks to events of clip gone by, reminding us of those gone before us, the difficult work and endeavours they went to, to construct the metropolis that stands today. The history of the metropolis has its depressions, but besides little victory between the adversities. There is profusion to the old historical edifices, the Edwardian and Victorian manners, a reminder of wealth and accomplishments that existed. Without these edifices, the metropolis streets would be bland of decor and character.

“ It is the blood perspiration and cryings of our ascendants who have left brilliant edifices and landscapes for ourselves and future coevalss. It is who we are. It is our individuality ” Gary Hornby hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-history-matters.pdf page 7

“ These edifices do non belong to us… they have belonged to our sires and they will belong to our posterities unless we play them false. They are non… our belongings, to make as we like with. We are merely legal guardians for those that come after us. ” William Morris in the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings Manifesto of 1877 from the book ( Bridgewood and Lennie 2009 )

Morris was a founding member of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, their pronunciamento even though published in 1877 some 134 old ages ago still stands true, even if ignored by many developers and authorities organic structures it is true that our historical edifices are here for us to continue so that coevalss from now, people can hold the same enjoyment from them as our predecessors had.

“ History is a continuum. It is affected by many closely inter-related factors, philosophical, physical and religious. It offers a palimpsest ( a manuscript which is written and so written over ) which needs to be understood, maintained, conserved and protected. ” ( Bridgewood and Lennie 2009 ) Page 15.

What is preservation

What is Restoration

What is sustainability “ the capacity to digest ”[ 1 ]

“ able to be maintained at a certain rate or degree ”[ 2 ]

Identity

Belfast Building Preservation Trust – meeting Shane Quinn 21/12/2010

Their current offices is a Gate Lodge which they have a 50year rental from the Diocese of Down and Connor. Last household to populate in the Gate Lodge had 11 people in it, 7 kids, parents and grandparents. When the household moved out, the gate Lodge fell into disrepair, and was vandalised and used as a imbibing lair for antisocial behavior. As the BBPT had links with the Diocese through the regeneration of St Patricks School, the Diocese approached the trust about the gate Lodge with the purpose of pulverizing it as it was in such a province, but the trust expressed a immense involvement in developing it as their offices. The Diocese thought it was far excessively little and in such a province that nil could be done, but when the trust acquired the rental, the restored it to what was believed to be its original province, with the find of three Gothic Windowss on the land floor which had been bricked up. The chief ineluctable alteration was that the bathroom had to be moved downstairs to let the edifice to follow with disablement entree. The edifice is a beautiful representation of the dedicated work the Trust does. The Restoration work was welcomed by the local community as non merely does the edifice expression aesthetically pleasant, but it besides has improved the societal facet of the country taking the antisocial component from the immediate country and it is no longer a vandalised eyesore.

The Belfast Building Preservation Trust has a reasonable attack to regeneration, they do n’t believe in Restoration, for Restorations sake, but for the good of the wider societal community. A edifice should supply a vehicle for driving the local community and economic system and have a positive response to its milieus. Options analysis with respects to any possible renovations use is of import as it requires the trust to research what both the local community want in their country, and what possible benefits different utilizations could hold. A successful result of prosecuting local polarised communities on a Restoration undertaking on an interface site was Christ Church edifice on College Square North, portion of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. Although the dialogue stages with both sides of the community were clip devouring due to holding to keep separate meetings to avoid struggle, the result of the school ‘s library with public resource countries has been widely commended in its success at incorporating both sides of the community as it is used by all and is besides popular with West Belfast Feile for events. It is the societal success of a Restoration undertaking that is the true step of success. It is critical that a edifice is self sustainable with the ability to run into its outgoings by income from assorted sectors. With few financess and trusts available to fund the initial capital to successfully transport out the edifice plants of Restoration undertakings it is even more important that the long term support program of the edifice has been decently calculated to guarantee that in old ages to come, there is the needed means to keep the edifice decently to guarantee it does non go ignored one time once more. As the trust has a revolving fund, it means that it can merely take on new undertakings when there is sufficient income from the sale or rental of old undertakings. A new potency undertaking on the skyline for the trust is the 1930 ‘s Floral Hall situated in the evidences of Belfast Zoo owned by the metropolis council. Floral Hall is architecturally important as it is one of few Art Deco styled edifice in Belfast. But it besides has a immense nostalgic significance to the older coevalss of Belfast as it was the societal hub on the north outskirts of the metropolis where people used to acquire the ropeway to for dances, 130,000 people used the hall in one individual twelvemonth. Floral hall has a immense tourer potency and with an increased figure of visitants coming to the menagerie over the past 3 old ages, the edifice could supply extra educational installations, stores and coffeehouse that can convey in gross along with the facet of private maps such as nuptials and conferences associating back to the thought of the dance hall and big assemblages, this can besides supply income for the sustainability of the edifice.

Another edifice in the undertaking grapevine for the BBPT is CARLISLE MEMORIAL METHODIST CHURCH situated in a disadvantaged country of North Belfast in an interface site. The edifice is presently on the World Monuments Fund 2010 ticker list which recognises the importance of this edifice.

WMF statement: “ Through partnerships with local communities, funders, and authoritiess, we inspire an digesting committedness to safeguard this critical bequest for future coevalss. ” ( beginning hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wmf.org/content/about-us accessed on 23/12/2010 )

Although the edifice was antecedently a Methodist Church and situated in a polarised community, through negotiations with both sides of the community, enormously positive feedback came through that the communities felt that the edifice must be saved and that it could be used by all. The immense job with Carlisle is that it is estimated that Restoration work would be about ?13million, the metropolis council and authorities are non willing to put this and private developers do non see the possible return on the edifice. Now with the backup of the World Monuments Fund, it is hopeful that this iconic edifice which stands tall in the metropolis skyline will acquire the public acknowledgment and backup needed to excite the backup needed for this undertaking to go on.

As the Belfast Buildings Preservation Trust is a go arounding fund, and can merely trust on financess which it has made from its old undertakings and little contributions from financess such as the Lottery Heritage fund, there must be other enterprises which through a wider coaction of administrations could let for undertakings such as Floral Hall and Carlisle Memorial Church to be restored and supply a encouragement to its environing economic system. Public Private Partnerships have been used to let the authorities a method in bettering the services it provides to the populace. This method has been successful in support schools and wellness attention in instances where the authorities did non hold the immediate financess required to supply much needed services, hence by join forcesing with a private investor, who could do the undertaking happen, and run into the populace ‘s demands, made the undertaking financially feasible. Private Finance Initiative PFI is one of the authoritiess most used signifiers of PPP. In this case, in most instances, the private house finances the physique and running costs for a fit period of clip, normally anyplace up to thirty old ages depending on the graduated table of the undertaking and the authorities or local authorization over this period has contractual refund with involvement to the house. In most cases, it is more expensive in the long term with respects to the refund agenda with any loan, but it allows the immediate proviso of services.

For the instance of Floral Hall, it ‘s ownership and support could be a collaborative venture from several financers. Belfast metropolis council who manages the menagerie where it is located could take duty of a part of the edifice which they could in bend usage as a coffeehouse, store and educational suites, this in bend can fund itself in the long term from people sing the menagerie supplying gross. A private developer interested in the maps facet of the dance hall would be able to engage it out for nuptialss, events and conferences could supply a part of the Restoration works cost alongside investing from the tourer board for the encouragement in comfortss at the menagerie, taking to increased tourer potency to the metropolis.

Carlisle Memorial Church besides has possible as an iconic historical edifice to supply a tourer draw to the metropolis along with a important demand in its location for community development and enterprises to foster the inspiration, instruction and occupation accomplishments of those in the neighbouring communities. This edifice has the graduated table, location, and possible to move as a societal hub for the environing communities and a accelerator for farther development in the territory. Increased instruction can take to greater accomplishments in the community, a higher degree of employable accomplishments, increased employment increases the income to the country, increased income increases the quality of life of the community and increases the disbursement potency in the country farther spread outing its economic system. This country of Belfast, Carlisle circus, is located 0.3 stat mis from the lower Shankill route, and a farther 0.7 stat mis from that is the Falls route and 0.4 stat mis from the New Lodge. Each of these wards in the Northern Irelands Statistics and Research Agency ‘s Multiple Deprivation Measure 2010[ 3 ]ranked in the top 25 most disadvantaged topographic points in Northern Ireland out of 890 topographic points, and with each holding highly high entree to local comfortss due to the nature of their location in the capital metropolis bettering their overall norm, this shows the want in countries such as offense, populating conditions, employment, instruction and wellness that these countries suffer from.

This location would profit greatly from a community hub which would move as a accelerator for farther development in these countries. When people see investing in their vicinity, it can hike morale and sense of pride for where them come from. An initial investing from one beginning can farther promote investing from other sectors and private investors. An illustration of successful renovation taking to a wider urban regeneration is the Market country environing St. George ‘s Market.

“ heritage-led regeneration reinforces the sense of community pride, makes an of import part to the local economic system and acts as a accelerator for betterments to the wider country. ‘[ 4 ]

This infusion from the Heritage Lottery Fund ‘s Website instance survey of their work on St. George ‘s Market highlights the success of the undertaking and it ‘s affect on the environing countries.

“ The betterment and re-opening of St. George ‘s Market has been polar to touristry and concern in the local area.A It has led to farther regeneration, which has allowed Belfast metropolis Centre to spread out to make full antecedently creaky countries and the market is no longer cut off by its hapless surroundings.A A concern Centre and a Hilton Hotel have been developed, and farther building is planned.A As a direct consequence of the HLF grant, five vacant and derelict retail store infinites have been renovated in the market and rented out. The market has besides hosted events and exhibitions, including cultural events such as Chinese New Year, Indian Holi, Festival of Colour, Polish Fesitval, Festival of India and St. Patrick ‘s Day. The Council hopes to increase the usage of the locale for external hire, every bit good as to host more events, exhibitions and market yearss and that visitant Numberss will turn farther as a consequence of these betterments. ”[ 5 ]

A major secondary advantage to the regeneration of a edifice is that it can move as a accelerator for more regeneration works in an country or make the stimulation for the saving of historical edifices and the development of an country. This illustration of the successful Restoration to St. George ‘s Market in Belfast built in the 1890 ‘s and restored in 1999 with ?2million support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Not merely has the visitant Numberss to the market increased by more than double to between 400,000 – 500,000 per twelvemonth, the market now opens on Fridays and Saturdays, there is a addition in the figure of full time- equivalent occupations from 3 to 6 and increased the figure of bargainer occupations besides. ( Source, Heritage Lottery Fund ) . Not merely has the market addition touristry to the metropolis from other countries of Northern Ireland, addition bargainer Numberss and employment, it besides sparked a regeneration tendency for the environing country including five retail units in the edifice which are now let out and include a MACE store and Subway sandwich saloon, this provides farther income to the market and a nearby Hilton Hotel and farther office developments have begun. The market has besides had the chance to diversify its usage to suit unrecorded concerts in the eventides and manner shows, these events create tonss of possible gross for the edifice, demoing how Restoration can supply multiple chances for a edifice.

City touristry

Both St. George ‘s Market and At. Annes Cathedral along with the Cathedral Quarter have undergone extended Restorations and renovation, with City Hall and Stormont being recognised as architectural landmarks of Belfast. The Titanic one-fourth is presently undergoing a immense renovation strategy to include the Restoration of the drawing suites. The Ulster Museum late underwent a immense renovation and situated nearby, Queen ‘s University ‘s Lanyon Building is iconic to the metropolis of Belfast and it has a immense tourer draw. The Crumlin Road Gaol designed by Sir Charles Lanyon and construct in the 1840 ‘s is the last leftover Victorian manner prison in Northern Ireland. It and the courthouse antonym have a immense historical significance to the metropolis and with the right Restoration and renovation could move as a major resource to the tourer industry.

The 185 acre Titanic Quarter Redevelopment strategy, mentioned briefly above will be a immense encouragement to both the touristry industry of the north alongside the assorted usage installations including offices and instruction Centres. The Harland and Wolff Drawing suites and offices will be restored along with a immense new development. The edifice is a three narrative brick and sandstone edifice. The Harland and Wolff shipyard founded in 1861 is in fact older that the current Belfast metropolis hall. It one time employed 30,000 people in Belfast. It is clear that this will go a important plus to non merely Belfast ‘s touristry industry, but Northern Ireland as a whole. It is an illustration of how both old iconic historical edifices can be developed aboard new architecturally important edifices like Todd ‘s Architects Titanic Signature Project. It is the success in get marrieding the apposition between the old and the new that creates a successful renovation.

Victoria Square in Belfast is an illustration of a late complete renovation in Belfast ‘s commercial metropolis Centre with the creative activity of a new covered shopping ‘street ‘ complex and residential flats. The complex merges different architectural manners and besides boasts the restored Jaffe Fountain to its original location as it had been relocated to botanic gardens old ages old. In recent old ages, from political stableness, the metropolis has begun to boom with increased investing from both public and private parties. Victoria Square and the Street ‘s Ahead urban regeneration strategy from the Department of Social and Regional Development

It is possible to accomplish a sustainable income from the renovation of old historic edifices, The Merchant Hotel on Waring Street is a premier illustration of how a private developer has taken a listed edifice and transformed it from the old central office of the Ulster Bank to a five star esteemed hotel. Designed by James Hamilton from Glasgow and built in 1857 the sandstone edifice is Grade A listed and underwent major Restoration along with a ?16.5 million modern extension. The Merchant provides touristry and cordial reception to a high category criterion with room rates get downing at ?95 per room per dark for mid hebdomad upwards to ?255 for suits. There was a niche in the market for a boutique hotel and the Merchant has hosted many events which has gained it farther acknowledgment as a successful historical regeneration undertaking. This is an illustration of a Restoration, non merely for Restorations sake, but with great foresight the proprietors saw this edifice ‘s possible to make a new market in the Belfast hotel and touristry sector. This hotel in the long term will be a sustainable investing with a immense initial investing which will harvest the wagess long term signifier tourers, locals and event administrations.

The Crown Bar built in 1826 was the first public house in the attention of the National Trust when they purchased it in 1978, in 2003 Donald Insall Associates were commissioned to transport out research and get down the Restoration work of the frontage, and the internal saloon and cubby. Since it ‘s purchase in 1978, the National Trust have spent around ?900,000 on restorations.The saloon being one of the oldest in the metropolis has a immense tourer draw, and through its Restoration work has returned it to its intended beauty. The saloon, like the Merchant Hotel, additions it ‘s chief income from touristry and events, this in bend wages for the care of the edifice leting the Restoration cost to be absorbed by the net incomes.

Without edifices such as the Crown Bar which has such a historical and nostalgic feel for those who visit and the Titanic Quarter Drawing Rooms and St. George ‘s Market to call but a few, Belfast ‘s touristry and individuality would be missing a believable draw to international visitants. The fact that there are trusts and associations out at that place to raise consciousness to salvage such beautiful, historically important edifices is what saves Belfast ‘s individuality. It ‘s iconic and recognizable elements, edifices, memorials, streetscapes and be aftering all tie the hodgepodge of the metropolis together and do it what it is today.

“ Old edifices are like our senior citizens. Lashkar-e-taibas treat them with the regard they deserve. ” Griff Rhys Jones in Lose or Reuse.

Treating old edifices with the regard they deserve is one thing the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society see true. They run for the acknowledgment of the importance of our built heritage and how it plays a cardinal function in the metropolis we live in, be it the immediately recognizable landmarks of City Hall and the Albert Clock, or the streetscapes that give Belfast it ‘s grain and character. Belfast ‘s redbrick patios hold a historical mention to the industrial metropolis which was one time at the head of the planetary ship building, linen and rope works industries. These houses, though little and frequently overcrowded provided security for 1000s of people who moved from the countryside to do a life in the flourishing industries. When these industries died down, the population degrees in the metropolis declined but in recent old ages with the addition in higher instruction through the University of Ulster and Queens University, many of these houses have been bought by belongings developers and restored into pupil lodging. The metropolis may be germinating from an industrial to a more serviced based metropolis, but edifices can ever be adapted for new utilizations, for examply W.J. Barre ‘s Provincial Bank has been excellently restored into a Tesco Supermarket, it may non look like a regular pick, but the edifice carries such a high volume of people now, that it merely has to be a testimonial to Barre leting so many people to see his plants. Besides the Ulster Bank central offices, now the Merchant Hotel

The Albert Memorial Clock on Victoria Street in Belfast, erected in 1865 to mark Price Albert is an iconic memorial in the metropolis ‘s individuality. Designed by Newry Born Architect W.J. BarreThe clock has a little joust due to being built on rescued land, but late underwent major restabilising and Restoration plants due to the decay of rock. The scrabo rock soft damaged salt air etc

The Northern Ireland Committee of the National Trust and The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society had a joint enterprise to protect architecturally important edifices through the constitution of Hearth Housing Association[ 6 ]. Fireplace was set up in 1978 by a voluntary commission to move as a non-profit devising association to supply societal lodging to run into the demand for lodging from the Department for Social Development and besides has a revolving fund for the Restoration of historic edifices for resale. Buildings which are restored are antecedently at hazard of loss or delinquency.

MERGE OF NEW AND OLD LEADING INTO VICTORIA SQ, SHOW HOW COMMERCIAL AND DEVELOPERS, SUSTAINED FROM INCOME. ONWARDS TO MERCHANT HOTEL LINKED BACK INTO COMMERCAIL AND TOURISM ASPECT, UPPER CLASS.