Listings
Airlines Aer Lingus, 46 Castle St (tel 0845/973 7747); British Airways (tel 0845/773 3377); British European (tel 0870/567 6676); British Midland (tel 0870/607 0555); Comed Aviation (tel 01253/402661); easyJet (tel 0870/600 0000); Gill Airways (tel 0191/214 6666). Airports Belfast City (tel 028/9045 7745); Belfast International (tel 028/9442 2888). Banks Most of the major UK banks are allied to the following Northern Irish ones, all of which have city-centre branches: Bank of Ireland, 54 Donegall Place (tel 028/9023 4334); Northern Bank, Donegall Square West (tel 028/9024 5277); Ulster Bank, 47 Donegall Place (tel 028/9024 4112). British cards will work in their cash dispensers. Bike rental Bike-It, 4 Belmont Rd (tel 028/9047 1141); McConvey Cycles, 467 Ormeau Rd (tel 028/9049 1163) and Unit 10, Pottinger's Entry (tel 028/9033 0322); Recycle, 1-5 Albert Square (tel 028/9031 3113). Books Bookfinders at 47 University Rd has secondhand books; there's also the University Bookshop on University Rd, Waterstones on Royal Ave and Fountain St, and branches of Easons on Ann St and Botanic Ave. No Alibi, 83 Botanic Ave, specializes in crime books, while for antiquarian books try Dublin Roma Ryan's Books and Prints, Dublin Rd. Buses Citybus enquiries tel 028/9024 6485; Ulsterbus tel 028/9033 3000 for long-distance information. There's also a touch-screen information service at the Europa bus station with full timetables and information on places to visit and accommodation throughout Northern Ireland. Car rental Avis, Belfast International Airport (tel 028/9442 2333) and Belfast City Airport (tel 028/9045 2017); there are many other big names at the airports and local firms such as McCausland Car Hire (tel 028/9033 3777) which also has a city-centre depot at 21-31 Grosvenor Rd. Exchange As well as banks try Thomas Cook, 11 Donegall Place (tel 028/9055 0030); the Tourist Information Centre, 35 Donegall Place (tel 028/9024 6609); and the post offices at Castle Place, Donegall Square and Shaftesbury Square. Ferries Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Donegall Quay (tel 0870/552 3523); Norse Irish Ferries, West Bank Rd (tel 028/9077 9090); P&O, Larne Harbour (tel 0870/242 4777); Seacat, Donegall Quay (tel 0870/552 3523); Stena Line, Corry Rd (tel 0870/570 7070). Festivals Belfast International Festival at Queens University (two to three weeks from late Oct to Nov) claims to be Britain's second-biggest arts festival after Edinburgh. Others are the Belfast Folk Festival (ten days in Sept); Orange Parades on July 12 (and marching season from Easter onwards); Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition (at the Ulster Museum for three weeks in Oct); Belfast Summerfest, featuring plenty of outdoor gigs and entertainment at the end of May; and the Ardoyne Fleadh Cheoil , a hugely popular traditional music festival (first week in August), followed immediately by the West Belfast Festival, another week-long music and dance festival - originally a Republican event, this increasingly includes Unionist voices. Gay and lesbian life The gay scene in Belfast is small and there's much travel back and forth to Dublin. The main city venues are TheCrow's Nest , 2 Skipper St (tel 028/9032 5491), which caters for the older crowd, with quizzes, sing-songs or discos; and The Parliament Bar , 2 Dunbar St (tel 028/9023 4520), which has events Thurs-Sun, and is especially popular on Saturdays, with dancing to house on table-tops; on Monday nights there's classical music with food, chess and backgammon. Monday sees a livelier time at Forbidden Fruit in The Milk Bar Club , Tomb St (tel 0707/499 9997). For more information, call Lesbian Line (Thurs 7.30-10pm; tel 028/9023 6668) or Mensline (Mon-Wed 7.30-10pm; tel 028/9032 2023). Golf Nearest links to the city centre are at Ormeau Park (tel 028/9064 1069); weekday fees GBP12, weekends GBP14.50. Hospitals In an emergency, call 999. Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Rd (tel 028/9032 9241); Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Rd (tel 028/9024 0503). Internet access Bronco's Web, 122 Great Victoria St (Mon-Sat 7.30am-10pm); The Linen Hall Library, Donegall Square (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Thurs until 8.30pm, Sat 9.30am-4pm); Revelations, 27 Shaftesbury Square (Mon-Fri 10am-10pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-7pm). Laundry Duds 'n' Suds, 37 Botanic Ave (tel 028/9024 3956). Left luggage Despite the reduced level of security, there is still, unfortunately, no official place where you can leave your luggage. Libraries Central Library, Royal Ave (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, Mon & Thurs until 8pm, Sat 9.30am-1pm). Lost property Musgrave police station, Ann St (tel 028/9065 0222). Markets The huge St George's Casual Retail Market (also known as the Variety Market) in May St (Tues & Fri mornings) is the liveliest: the Friday food and variety market is by far the more popular, with about 200 traders taking part; on Tuesday it's more of a fleamarket-type affair, selling new and secondhand clothes and a variety of junk. The Smithfield Retail Market, at the back of the new Castlecourt development on West St/Winetavern St, is also pretty good; it operates from about thirty shop units and sells new and secondhand goods and clothes. For antiques, try the Saturday market at Alexander The Grate, Donegall Pass. Motoring organizations AA, 108 Great Victoria St (tel 0870/550 0600; 24-hr rescue tel 0800/887766); RAC, 14 Wellington Place (tel 028/9023 2640; 24-hr rescue tel 028/9082 8282). Newspapers Two daily newspapers for all of Northern Ireland are published in Belfast, the Nationalist Irish News and the Unionist News Letter . The city's local daily paper, the Belfast Telegraph , has adopted an increasingly liberal, pro-Agreement stance in recent years. Police In an emergency, call 999. Main city-centre police station is in North Queen St. Post office General Post Office, Castle Place (Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm). Shopping hours Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm. Many city-centre stores stay open until 8pm or 9pm on Thursdays and an increasing number open on Sundays (1-5pm). Tennis Belfast Indoor Tennis Arena, Ormeau Embankment (tel 028/9045 8024). Trains For information call Central Station (tel 028/9089 9411). Travel agents Thomas Cook, 11 Donegall Place (tel 028/9055 0030); USIT, Fountain Centre, College St (tel 028/9032 4073).
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