belfast last year

[phegan]

I just wanted say was i had an amazing trip to Northern Ireland last year.
I have to say the Belfast just blew me away. What a wonderfull city.Vibrant,friendly and beautifull to look at. The waterfront development is spectacular.I loved seeing the ferry warf and the old dry dock redone. you can tell that it is a city that cares about it's achitecture.
I live in a small city called Troy,which was the birthplace of the industrial revolution in America.
Troy is also unique because there was a great fire in the late 1800's, which burned down all of the city center. my point being, all of down downtown was rebuilt at the same time.As a result Troy is an excelent example of victorian architecture. By the way, tomorrow is the Victorian Stroll, a holiday event that brings out young an old dressed in victorian costume. About 30,000 typicaly come each year.(It should be interesting since we have had a 25 inch snowfall tonignt)

[RobS]

Sounds a bit like Blooms Day here .......

[PVC King]

The Troy example is excellent PH,

Entirely bourne out in the fact that the Guiness visitor centre is the biggest attraction in Ireland.

It is that type of niche tourism marketing often based around Victorian Industrial Areas that deliver 12 month appeal unlike golf classics, (Mount Juliet excepted)

As for the Belfast waterfront credit is due and the cranes are still moving

[garethace]

I wonder how the Smithfield equivalent is doing just over on the North bank?

[PVC King]

Smithfield is doing fine, I see the structure is getting to quite a height. It is a well designed foreward looking development.
http://www.hkr.com

However I don't think that one can compare Smithfield and Belfast waterfront/DDDA lands; as the river (s) are at a less developed stage. The width of the River beyond IFSC House gives more scale as does the Lagan beyond the Ormeau Bridge. Thus giving architects more licence to create bold innovative stand alone buildings

[garethace]

I meant comparing the Guinness tourist thing, to the Smithfield tourist thing. I was just wondering how much footfall of tourist that Smithfield is getting compared to the Guinness experience.

[PVC King]

Quite a bit,

The old Jameson Distillery gets footfall on a scale that would keep most investments in the black.

But Guinness is the WORLD leader with receipts exceeding 10m Euro in admission alone.

Kilbeggan in Co Westmeath also does very well as does Bushmills in North Antrim

[StephenC]

Fascinating, thanx.

[garethace]

Opps!