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Date: 05 Aug 2024
Category: City centre, City regeneration and development
One of Belfast city centre’s oldest and most historically significant entries, Sugarhouse, has reopened to the public after more than 50 years.
So named because it was the site of one of the city’s two sugar refineries, Sugarhouse Entry was fortunate to survive the destruction of large sections of High Street during the Belfast Blitz in 1941.
Sugarhouse Entry was once the site of the Dr Franklin Tavern, meeting place of the United Irishmen (also known as ‘The Muddler’s Club’). Formed in 1791, the United Irishmen’s aim was to unite Protestants, Catholics and Dissenters to remove English rule. Their leader, Henry Joy McCracken, was brought to Sugarhouse Entry by his sister, anti-slavery campaigner Mary Ann McCracken, to receive medical attention in the forlorn hope of resuscitating him after his public hanging at Cornmarket in 1798.
Now, thanks to extensive cleansing, repair work, repainting, installation of new paving and interpretive signage, funded by the Department for Communities and managed by Belfast City Council, people can once again visit this historic entry which runs from High Street to Waring Street, parallel to Bridge Street.
Chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, Councillor Sam Nelson, said: “Belfast’s historic entries are such an important, distinctive part of our city centre’s built environment. They also enhance the city centre’s accessibility, improve wayfinding, and add interesting layers to the visitor experience.
“Thanks to funding from the Department for Communities, we’ve been able to transform these unique entries into vibrant places that are safe, welcoming, and thought provoking. It’s fantastic to see residents and visitors exploring the entries and bringing them to life again – and I’m sure that Sugarhouse Entry will become a popular stop off for many of the fascinating walking tours in Belfast.
“This is another part of the revitalisation jigsaw slotting into place, and we look forward to continuing to work with the NI Assembly, relevant Stormont departments, traders and their representatives, the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and all our statutory partners to build a city centre that’s welcoming, safe, accessible and attractive for everyone.”
‘The Entries’, a network of narrow alleyways in the heart of Belfast dating back to the 1600s, were once home to dense housing, pubs, businesses and more, but became overlooked and neglected over the years. Belfast City Council recognised their significant potential to become places for people to explore and enjoy once again and embarked on regenerating The Entries as part of ‘A Bolder Vision.’ Now, 11 entries have been transformed through a series of place-making interventions, including artworks, lighting, interpretative and wayfinding signage and cleansing.
Welcoming the reopening of Sugarhouse Entry, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: “I am delighted to see the completion of this exciting project. The Entries are of great historic significance, enhancing the rich heritage of Belfast while providing opportunities for new walking routes around the city centre. The first phase of the Entries Project has proven to be a great success and my department believes the entries regenerated in the second phase will have a similar, positive impact on the city.”
Creative consultancies Daisy Chain Inc, Form Native and Urban Scale Interventions helped the council to deliver enhanced lighting and bespoke artwork with interpretive introductions from Belfast poet Gail McConnell in phase one of the project, winning the Public – Private Partnership category at the all-Ireland Urban Land Institute and CBRE Excellence in Placemaking Awards 2021 for the restoration of:
- Castle Arcade
- Cole’s Alley
- Crown Entry
- Joy’s Entry
- Pottinger’s Entry
- Wilson’s Court
- Winecellar Entry
Phase two of the programme has regenerated:
- College Street Mews
- High Street Entry
- Patterson’s Place
- Sugarhouse Entry
For more information, go to www.belfastcity.gov.uk/citycentre