A look inside the derelict Connswater Shopping Centre (Image: Justin Kernoghan)
A once-cherished and thriving shopping centre in east Belfast now stands derelict — and has been blighted by anti-social behaviour in recent weeks.
The Connswater Shopping Centre enjoyed a 40-year run before closing its doors in March of last year with just a fortnight’s notice, after mounting problems such as dwindling footfall and soaring vacancy rates drove it into receivership.
It has since become a magnet for urban explorers, who frequently encounter smashed windows and rubble strewn across the former car park as they film the hollowed-out shopping centre, with its deserted food court and shuttered shops.
Jamie Robinson, who documents forgotten locations on his YouTube channel, paid a visit to the “eerie remains”, reporting sightings of “empty shopfronts and decaying corridors to signs of a place once filled with life”.
Speaking on his vlog, he remarked: “It is mental to think that a big shopping centre like this can just go abandoned, like I do find that proper strange. What’s crazy is this would have been a thriving shopping centre back in its day.”
Connswater Shopping Centre (Image: Justin Kernoghan)
Other explorers have travelled from as far afield as America to film inside the vast 162,000 square foot complex, which once housed 52 units including the former Boots and Carphone Warehouse.
Having now sat vacant for over a year, the site has been plagued by anti-social behaviour, including criminal damage — with four youngsters detained by police last month. On April 15, at 7.25pm, a 14-year-old girl was detained after a number of youngsters entered the derelict site. The following day, three further young people were also detained.
Officers cautioned youngsters against anti-social behaviour and continue to collaborate with local residents to identify solutions, while also urging parents to speak with their children about the risks associated with such conduct.
PSNI Neighbourhood Inspector Dawson said: “We are aware of ongoing issues of anti-social behaviour, including criminal damage at the derelict premises and continue to engage with residents and community representatives. Derelict buildings by their very nature can be unsafe and we do not want to see anyone being injured as a result of being inside.
“Young people who choose to engage in anti-social behaviour must understand it is unacceptable and must stop. People have a right to live in peace and to feel safe in their communities. Officers continue to work alongside partner agencies, local representatives and the community to find collaborative and proactive solutions to address the problem.
Some windows have been smashed and boarded up (Image: Justin Kernoghan)
“Parents and guardians must speak to their young people about where they are and who they are with and also warn them of the dangers of getting involved in behaviour which could result in injuring themselves, others, or ultimately, a criminal record.”
The shopping centre’s front windows have been smashed and boarded up, and Councillor Ruth Brooks has also spoken out about the persistent issue. She said: “There is fencing around the site, but that can’t be sustainable in the long-term, and certainly what people don’t want to see is the continued decline of a building just left to rot.
“We’re already dealing with a lot of dereliction and dilapidation on the Newtownards Road and we’re working through some of the challenges that building control or council have in dealing with those. So we certainly don’t want to see this continued.”
Following the centre falling into the hands of insolvency practitioners, residents voiced their concerns to a number of media outlets.
It is not known what the future of the site will be (Image: Justin Kernoghan)
Winston Grayson told BBC News NI: “It’s really good, it will be a big miss.”
Barry Macaulay, the CEO of Arts Care — an arts and health charity that had been based within the shopping centre for 18 months prior to its closure — spoke to BelfastLive about how they were “still reeling” from the abrupt shutdown.
He revealed the charity had spent £40,000 upgrading their unit, with plans to remain there for a minimum of three years.
Barry said: “After spending all that money, with two weeks’ notice, we were told to get out and lost every penny of that. We’re a small charity, we can’t afford to throw £40,000 away. That really angers me.”
He went on to add: “While we took a hit financially, we’ve regrouped. We weren’t going to let this destroy our organisation. We’ve been able to re-establish ourselves, but it was a traumatic time, and we’re still reeling from it.”
No decisions have yet been reached regarding the future of the Connswater site, though proposals have so far centred on housing and a mixed-use retail development.
Sharing her views on the matter, councillor Ruth said: “The site’s closure has opened a conversation on how retail in the area has changed. You need to get the right balance and I think from coronavirus when we were seeing lots of offices being built, the conversation around what the workforce needs and what retail needs is ongoing, and we’re looking at the wider area.
“There’s also a conversation around the need for housing in the area as well. I think there are a number of options being looked at, but whatever is agreed, it needs to be futureproof.”