Tide of change at Sailortown

By Arthur Strain
BBC News website

Once a symbol of industrial and urban decline, Belfast's Sailortown area is now a part of the city which has attracted the interest of developers.

There are plans for hundreds of apartments in the area, just north of the busy city centre.

There are plans for flats over a rebuilt Rotterdam Bar

The newest application to land on the desk of planners could see the demolition and rebuilding of two of the area's remaining mainstays.

The Rotterdam Bar - which at one point was used to house those awaiting transportation to Australia - and neighbouring Pat's Bar are now on the list for development.

Mara Developments Ltd has applied to demolish both establishments and construct 58 private apartments above two replacement bars.

The agent is the McVeigh Brown Architectural Partnership and their managing director Ken Brown said they wanted a 13 storey apartment block, which would include three penthouses.

He said it could take up to six months to get planning permission and 18 months to complete the build.

In pictures: Sailortown

"Neither building is listed and there is an application for a 15 story complex beside it," he said.

Mr Brown said the intention was that people who work in the Clarendon Dock area would want to buy near their place of employment and not want to drive to work.

The adjacent plan is for a 15 storey complex of 171 apartments and ground floor retail.

It is easy to see what makes Sailortown of interest to developers, with the cost of a two-bedroom apartment in the adjacent Clarendon Quay expected to realise £320,000.

Sean Baker, Secretary of the Sailortown Regeneration Group, said that the latest application was too much.

"We have worked hand-in-hand with developers and we want to see regeneration, but enough is enough.

"There are only four original houses left and three bars."

He said there was concern about the infrastructure in the area and they have invited Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie to visit the area and hear their concerns.

Mr Baker said they wanted provision for education, health and welfare to be factored into plans for the area with vacant commercial land used for development, rather than the remaining buildings of old Sailortown being torn down.

Flats in the Clarendon area are being sold for more than £300,000

There are plans for social housing in the area, Clanmil Housing Association is working on a mixed development of 52 apartments and 14 houses on the site of the former Clow's Mill.

The former mill, knocked down in 2006, overlooked what is now the last standing business on the well named Short Street, Benny's Sandwich Bar and Cafe.

Brendan Bowman who runs it said his grandfather Benny Coyle came to Belfast from County Monaghan and eventually ran the Ship Bar - which was known as Benny's - until it was destroyed in a 1972 loyalist car bomb which claimed the lives of two children playing outside.

He opened the sandwich bar and cafe - which the family say was the city's first - this was in turn taken over by his daughter and is now ran by his grandson. He said the cafe will probably close next year and be redeveloped.

The shop with its 70s decor was used for scenes in the 2005 Neil Jordan film Breakfast on Pluto, starring Cillian Murphy.

As well as film luminaries, hundreds of visitors fresh off the boat at the port have found sustenance at Benny's, including the late racing legend Joey Dunlop.

Mr Bowman said that business was good, and the number of workmen sampling the morning trade was testament to that.

More development could bring competition for his business in the form of franchises, but also more trade.

For Brendan the changes in the area and the potential rebuild of his premises are bittersweet.

"I'll miss it, but you have to move with the times," he said.