Belfast Info

Vain

Hi guys, Im after booking a surprise birthday present for my girlfriend a 3 night stay in Belfast and a concert in Kings Hall. We spent 2 nights in Belfast Last year and loved it. Few questions as we will have more time this time.

Whats the best shopping center?

Safest pubs/clubs for us with our south farmers accent:o

We are staying in the Malone Mews apartments just off the Lisburn Road area any body know these apartments are they nice and is the area ok? I have time to change this of its in a bad area or not nice.

Any thing worth going too see? Zoo? wax museum?

Last time we were up a shop didnt want to take my bank of Ireland pound sterling notes as they said something about the banks stopping making them but will take it just this time, plus freaking me and my girlfriend out making us spend notes just to get bank of England notes back just incase we got stuck. No other shop had any problems with that. Has this changed since?

Thanks for any help will be very grateful:)

pow wow

And the boyfriend of the year award goes to....

In terms of shopping centres Victoria Square is the posh one (House of Fraser, Topshop etc.) and Castle Court is the other main one in town. They're about a 5 minute walk from each other and Royal Avenue (main shopping street) is between them so you've got all bases covered in the city centre. The out of town ones and the outlets are good for bargains, but if you're up primarily just to hang out more than shop til you drop you could do worse than confine yourselves to the city centre.

Similarly on the pubs and clubs...city centre is handiest and more cosmopolitan.

In relation to the currency I've never had a note refused myself . If you want to get BoE notes go to an Alliance & Leicester or HSBC ATM as these dispense only BoE notes. Or you can always ask for your change in English notes (I used to if I knew I was going to England after). There's an A&L ATM across Royal Avenue from the front door of Castle Court.

Vain

pow wow wrote: »

And the boyfriend of the year award goes to....

In terms of shopping centres Victoria Square is the posh one (House of Fraser, Topshop etc.) and Castle Court is the other main one in town. They're about a 5 minute walk from each other and Royal Avenue (main shopping street) is between them so you've got all bases covered in the city centre. The out of town ones and the outlets are good for bargains, but if you're up primarily just to hang out more than shop til you drop you could do worse than confine yourselves to the city centre.

Similarly on the pubs and clubs...city centre is handiest and more cosmopolitan.

In relation to the currency I've never had a note refused myself . If you want to get BoE notes go to an Alliance & Leicester or HSBC ATM as these dispense only BoE notes. Or you can always ask for your change in English notes (I used to if I knew I was going to England after). There's an A&L ATM across Royal Avenue from the front door of Castle Court.

Thanks, ya it was very strange they didnt want to take the notes off me, it was the only shop too.

I dont know

That’s a very strange one about the BoI note. They haven’t changed them recently so I don’t know why they’d have said that. How long ago was it and where was the shop?

On your accommodation, Malone Mews is very handy to town and you could walk to the kings hall, but be aware that you are at the top of tates avenue in ‘the village’ no length from Windsor park. A lot of the houses around you will be full of students, but as you move more towards WP it’d be local scumbags. I live just on the other side of the lisburn road and its grand.

The Botanic Inn & the Egg are good spots for students/graduates and are within walking distance. There are some pubs closer to you on the Lisburn road, but I wouldn’t venture into them with your accent. ( The ones further along the lisburn road towards the kings hall should be fine though)

You’d be best to go on into the city for a night out, as you have more variety and everywhere is safe enough.

Paul4As

I dont know wrote: »

On your accommodation, Malone Mews is very handy to town and you could walk to the kings hall, but be aware that you are at the top of tates avenue in ‘the village’ no length from Windsor park. A lot of the houses around you will be full of students, but as you move more towards WP it’d be local scumbags. I live just on the other side of the lisburn road and its grand.

So all people who live beside Windsor Park are scumbags??? That is a very nice attitude to people who you probably haven't had the experience to run in to!!! You know...it is because of people with attitudes like that that Northern Ireland has had its trouble and segregation and all that!!!

Why would the poster be walking towards Windsor Park in the first place anyway??...or the Village!!!....totally different direction to the city centre or life on the Lisburn Road!!! Thankfully when I used to live in a protestant area in Belfast, a lot more famous than the Village, my father-in-law from Mayo with a big country accent didn't listen to such hyped up propaganda and came over to mine for a visit!!!

Back the the original poster's post...Ryan's Bar and Grill...which is on the main Lisburn Road a few blocks from your apartment...nice venue to a have a quiet drink!!! I'd also try to get on one of the city bus tours as well...never been on them myself...but friends from the south who were up for my wedding went on one and enjoyed it!!!

theteal

I dont know wrote: »

On your accommodation, Malone Mews is very handy to town and you could walk to the kings hall, but be aware that you are at the top of tates avenue in ‘the village’ no length from Windsor park.

It's a decent walk to the kings hall from there, there's a cab office just up around the corner (lisburn road - its a post office on streetview). Having lived on ashley avenue with my KE reg car for 7-8 months i can assure the OP not to be concerned about the proximity of "the village".

the lisburn road is cool, loads of places to eat (the jharna and littlewings get special mention). you'll get a late gargle in ma nelsons, we've had a few proper late ones on the way home from a night in town. there are lots of students around so it can be a bit noisy at the weekend (who cares? it's the weekend!)

it's a 10 minute walk into town. . .I miss Belfast :mad: (Bangor sucks:mad:)

I dont know

So all people who live beside Windsor Park are scumbags??? That is a very nice attitude to people who you probably haven't had the experience to run in to!!!

I made it clear in my post that i live on the other side of the road, of course i've had the experience to run into the locals.
I didn't say all the people living in the village were scumbags. I made it clear that the majority of those living around malone mews will be students. However, i stand by my opinion that the majority of those living further into the village are undesirables that the OP would not want to come into contact with

Why would the poster be walking towards Windsor Park in the first place anyway??...or the Village!!!....totally different direction to the city centre or life on the Lisburn Road!!!

Malone Mews is IN the village. Its on the very edge of the village, but it is in the village, fact! Also, to get to the boucher road (the nearest major retail area) he will travel down tates avenue, along side Windsor park.

I'm not trying to add to 'hyped up propaganda' but the OP has asked for advice on belfast and i'm just giving my opinion. There are better places to stay on the lisburn road than malone mews ( which was the target of an arson attack on 08/01/2011)

biko

Vain wrote: »

We are staying in the Malone Mews apartments just off the Lisburn Road area any body know these apartments are they nice and is the area ok? I have time to change this of its in a bad area or not nice.

Good place to stay and aprox 15 mins walk into the city centre.

Paul4As

I dont know wrote: »

I'm not trying to add to 'hyped up propaganda' but the OP has asked for advice on belfast and i'm just giving my opinion. There are better places to stay on the lisburn road than malone mews ( which was the target of an arson attack on 08/01/2011)

May be the original poster should cancel his booking in Malone Mews!!!
I am only Messing with you Vain!!!
Belfast is a great safe city...and the area where you are staying is fine!!!
Hope you and your girlfriend enjoy your trip!!!

Vain

I dont know wrote: »

That’s a very strange one about the BoI note. They haven’t changed them recently so I don’t know why they’d have said that. How long ago was it and where was the shop?

On your accommodation, Malone Mews is very handy to town and you could walk to the kings hall, but be aware that you are at the top of tates avenue in ‘the village’ no length from Windsor park. A lot of the houses around you will be full of students, but as you move more towards WP it’d be local scumbags. I live just on the other side of the lisburn road and its grand.

The Botanic Inn & the Egg are good spots for students/graduates and are within walking distance. There are some pubs closer to you on the Lisburn road, but I wouldn’t venture into them with your accent. ( The ones further along the lisburn road towards the kings hall should be fine though)

You’d be best to go on into the city for a night out, as you have more variety and everywhere is safe enough.

Castle Court Shopping Center I think its called, was some male clothes shop on the second floor. On the right hand side if you come in from the main street.

Vain

I dont know wrote: »

I'm not trying to add to 'hyped up propaganda' but the OP has asked for advice on belfast and i'm just giving my opinion. There are better places to stay on the lisburn road than malone mews ( which was the target of an arson attack on 08/01/2011)

I really hope this is not true, any links to news reports or how bad was the attack? I stayed in Cordia Serviced Apartments its next to Tesco on the lisburn road and found it very safe.

Thanks all for the info.