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Revealing Riddel’s Warehouse at EHOD
11th September 2021 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Free
Join Ulster Architectural Heritage and Hearth Historic Buildings Trust (http://hearthni.org) at the impressive Riddel’s Warehouse on Ann Street on Saturday 11th September.
For over a hundred years Riddel’s warehouse stored heavy iron beams and heating stoves as well as all kinds of agricultural products, made locally or brought in from the nearby docks and distributed to retail ironmongers across the north of Ireland. As the building remained empty for fifty years, acting as a buffer zone to the nearby police station, remnants of this industry can still be seen throughout the building. These include the weighbridge, crane mechanisms and tiers of pigeonholes for storing nuts and bolts.
Hearth acquired the warehouse some years ago thanks to support from Ulster Garden Villages and are due to carry out priority repairs soon, funded by the Department for Communities Covid Recovery programme. This will mean that the building can continue to accommodate meanwhile uses prior to securing capital funding for a more comprehensive restoration project. A robust business case, funded by the Architectural Heritage Fund, supports the creation of co-working and performance spaces, and the Trust is keen to hear from groups who might be interested in using the building in both the short term and the long term, helping to bring this unique building back into use and forming an important part of Belfast’s city centre revival.
Come and meet with representatives of Hearth to learn more about the plans for this fascinating building and to discuss possible involvement in its future.
Until it is put back into use, Riddel’s, along with over 500 structures in Northern Ireland, is classified as a ‘building at risk’. UAH staff will also be available to tell you about the Heritage at Risk project in Northern Ireland.
Tours of Riddel’s Warehouse will be available every 30 minutes from 10:30am-1pm and from 1:30pm-3:30pm. These will be led by representatives from Hearth and UAHS.
*Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Booking Essential.*
