Campaigners have said an iconic Belfast landmark being placed on a global “at risk” buildings list is “a game changer.”
The Assembly Rooms, located on the corner of North Street and Waring Street, have been placed on the 2025 “watch list” by the World Monuments Fund (WMF). The list identifies sites across the world that face “major challenges such as climate change, tourism, conflict and natural disaster.”
The historic building is owned by Castlebrooke Investments, the company behind the delayed Tribeca development in Belfast’s city centre.
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The Assembly Rooms were originally built as a single storey market house in 1769, with an additional floor added in 1776. It lay at the very centre of the 18th century town and became pivotal in our cultural life during the enlightenment era.
In the 19th century, the building was converted for banking, but even those changes retained the neo-classical style and it was listed in 1975 after being acclaimed as Belfast’s Best Kept Public Building in 1979. Over the years it has been used for concerts, exhibitions, and by theatre.
The Ulster Architecture Heritage organisation has said that general maintenance of the building has “fallen by the wayside and has suffered from vandalism.”
Campaigners for the preservation of the Assembly Rooms have welcomed the WMF’s support to save it, with John Gray from the Assembly Rooms Alliance describing the move as “a game changer.”
Assembly Rooms, Belfast
(Image: Google Streetview)
He said: “Amongst 25 projects world-wide which they are backing this is the only one in Ireland. They have clearly been convinced by the importance of the building but also by our ambitions for its future use as a multi-cultural arena, a place to explore our enlightenment heritage, and as a home for the planned Museum of the Troubles and Peace. This is an international imprimatur for what is proposed.
“The WMF will now provide two years of mentoring and professional support to help bring the project to fruition. This should help convince others of the seriousness and validity of our plans.”
The Assembly Rooms Alliance has been leading the campaign to save the building for public and cultural uses. There are hopes the building could potentially be acquired by Belfast City Council.
As for what the building could become in the future, John said he would like to see the banking hall return to its original role as a multi-cultural venue for concerts, conferences, exhibition, and theatre. The main proposed use of the remaining space is for the Museum of the Troubles and Peace.
“We are confident that there will be significant demand for the use of the banking hall for an extensive range of events. We are equally sure that there is a demand by our own citizens and from visitors from afar for an accessible way to explore the history of our troubles and how we managed to emerge from them,” John added.
“We believe that our proposals will provide a significant additional visitor attraction in Belfast city centre. The renovation and revival of the Assembly Rooms which lie at the entry point to the Cathedral Quarter and the Tribeca portfolio will also lead to increased footfall in the area and increase the potential of properties in the neighbourhood.
“Let us have the ambition in the two years in which we will have the benefit of mentoring by the World Monuments Fund to secure the building and have plans in place for its restoration and development.”
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