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BELFAST ALERT - UPDATE ON NI CENTENARY PARADE

24 May 2022

BELFAST ALERT - UPDATE ON NI CENTENARY PARADE

Please see the below for an update on the NI NI Centenary Parade - Saturday 28th May 2022

Timings of the parade remain the same.

  • 1.00pm – the parade will leave Stormont arriving in the city centre at 2.30pm
  • 2.30pm – 6.00pm the parade will take over 3 hours for all bands to arrive

 

Public Transport Servicing: -
Traffic flow through the city centre will be impacted from 2pm onwards.  Translink servicing of routes will be relocated as follows:

  • East bound buses – pick up from Chichester Street
  • West bound buses – pick up from Wellington Place - When Wellington Place closes around 5pm, pick up will be from Francis Street (may move earlier)
  • South bound buses – pick up from May Street
  • North bound buses – pick up from Wellington Place - When Wellington Place closes around 5pm, pick up will be from Royal Avenue (may move earlier)

 

Road Closures:

  • Newtownards Road will be closed from 12pm.  There is a parade prior to the NI Centenary Parade.
  • The road will open between the parade passing towards the city centre and returning at approx. 7.30pm / 8.00pm
  • Great Victoria Street will be closed to through traffic (not buses) from 1.30pm.
  • The road will open after the southbound parades have passed through – probably after 8.00pm.
  • May Street to Upper Arthur Street will be closed to through traffic (not buses) from 1.30pm.
  • Wellington Place to Queen Street will be closed to through traffic (not buses) from 1.30pm.
  • Donegall Square will be closed to all traffic from approx. 2pm.
  • Rolling road closures will be in place along the route of the parade.

 

Please see the below map which indicates parade routes, roads impacted and relocated bus stops.

ni-centenary-parade-route-map---city-centre.jpg

Car Parking:
A number of multi-story car parks will be closed or have restricted access.
The following multi-story car parks will not be accessible from 2pm onwards due to road closures:

  • Montgomery Street
  • High Street Hi Park
  • Donegall Quay Car Park
  • Victoria Square car park will close at 2pm (this is subject to change as they may close earlier).
  • CastleCourt car park will remain open until 8pm.
  • Based on the parade routes, CastleCourt and Value Car Parks (Grosvenor Road) are the two multi-storey car parks closest to the city centre that should not have restricted access throughout the day.

 

Servicing; Public Toilet Provision & City Centre Cleansing:

  • Please be aware that after 2pm, there will be significant disruption to any planned servicing or deliveries to your businesses. 
  • It may be beneficial to make alternate arrangements.
  • Hospitality businesses utilising Deliveroo / Uber etc may also be impacted.
  • The event organisers are providing 40 portaloos in the city centre.
  • The majority will be located at the City Hall, with the remainder on all streets south where buses will take bands back to their home lodges.
  • Currently a number of Belfast City Council public toilets are closed, this includes City Hall, Church Lane and Winetavern Street. 
  • We all need to put some pressure on Belfast City Council to have these opened.
  • Belfast City Council has committed to ensuring a cleansing team will be in operation after the parade has passed to ensure the city centre is cleaned to support the Night Time Economy & Sunday trading.

 

Opening Hours:
Please note these may be subject to change
Few businesses will be trading all day e.g.

  • Boots (9am – 6pm), all Tesco Expresses (6am – 8pm); Gordons (9am – tbc)

 

The majority of businesses who open will close early e.g.

  • CastleCourt (4pm) & Victoria Square (2.30pm)
  • Primark; Marks & Spencer (2pm);
  • Carrolls & Paperchase (1pm)
  • Grand Opera House – both 2.30pm & 7.30pm shows going ahead
  • Starbucks (4pm)
  • Deers Head (normal)
  • Mc Donalds will be open throughout the weekend