IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
BELFAST, BT1 2PP

See also Image and Image The view along Pottinger’s Entry from High Street.

This plaque commemorates the painter Andrew Nicholl.

With the ground-floor internal “InShops” closed, the Hi Park, in High Street, now has a banner offering “To let substantial retail unit 30,000 sq ft suitable for a range of retail/leisure uses”. This photograph appears as a matter of record only. I have no connection with any of the parties involved in the letting.

A former branch of “The Money Shop” at 16 Church Lane.

See Image What makes this one of interest is the survival of some of the (once common) white tiles (above the modern blue ones) on the building at the corner of Pottinger’s Court and Pottinger’s Entry.

Recently-opened café at 24-26 Church Lane. It occupies the former McMaster’s tool shop (on the right in Image (December 2008)). “Down Tools is named in honour of W.M. McMaster’s toolshop and saw repair workshop. For over 120 years, it repaired the broken and brought useful things to busy people. We want to carry on the tradition, DIYing our own sandwiches, slow roasting pork and beef each day and finishing the job with custom made dressings, soups, salads and cakes” - official website. I have no connection with the business and cannot enter into correspondence.

The streets around High Street were popular as boarding points for the various stage coaches connecting Belfast with neighbouring towns (and those further afield). The “Morning Star”, in Pottingers Entry, off High Street, was a coaching inn dating from the early part of the 19th century. It has survived without modernisation but has not achieved the celebrity status of houses such as the “Crown” or “Kelly Cellars”. This lion (said to be the winged lion of St Mark) stands above the main door.

See Image Pottinger’s Entry, also runs from Ann Street to High Street. It is an example of how to destroy a historic and atmospheric thoroughfare by demolishing most of one side and replacing it with a multi-storey car park. The view is towards High Street with the “Morning Star” on the left and Pottinger’s Court running off to the left alongside it.

“Miss Moran”, at no 6 Church Lane Image (High Street end) is possibly (indeed probably) the last tobacconist in Belfast. To the best of my knowledge it doesn’t even sell newspapers or dolly mixtures. 100 years ago nos 4&6 were occupied by W McLarnon, tobacconist and no 10 by C Kirk, tobacconist.

There has been a proliferation of Turkish and Kurdish barber’s shops recently. To the best of my knowledge this one, in Church Lane, is the traditional Belfast version. I have no connection with the business.