The building has fallen into disrepair in the 53 years it has been closed
Floral Hall in Belfast Zoo(Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)
A councillor has said £500,000 funding for an iconic North Belfast site is the first step towards bringing it back into public use.
The Floral Hall first opened in 1936, two years after the opening of Belfast’s zoological gardens, starting life as a dance hall and over the years having a cafe and even roller skating facilities inside.
It also operated as a concert venue, with renowned musicians such as Pink Floyd, Small Faces, and Gene Vincent gracing its stage over the years. The hall closed as a concert venue in 1972, and was last in use in 1973 as a count centre for the Northern Ireland referendum on a border poll.
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Since then, the site has lain dormant, and fallen into dereliction. Now, Belfast City Council has agreed £500,000 in funding to install a new roof on the iconic building, sparking hopes of regeneration.
Welcoming the news, SDLP councillor Carl Whyte said: “This half million pounds will mean the installation of a new roof on Belfast’s iconic Foral Hall.
“Unfortunately since it closed the building has fallen into such bad disrepair that an extensive asbestos clearing operation had to be undertaken. That is now completed and the next phase of restoring the building is now fully funded.
“This will make the building fully watertight and the next stage will be to engage with people across Belfast to decide how we bring the Floral Hall back to public use to benefit the community in North Belfast and our city as a whole.
“For many people the Floral Hall holds special memories. It hosted major acts including Pink Floyd and Roy Orbison and was a hub for dances and roller skating. I hope this investment allows a new generation to create their own memories here and plays a real role in regenerating this part of our city.”
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