How safe is Belfast for an Englishman these days?
 

I'm going to be doing some installation work in Belfast in the near future, and don't really want to be stuck there without transport, so was thinking of taking my car over on the ferry.

Is this a wise idea, or do they still put bombs on cars with British plates over there? more seriously, what is the risk of vandalism like?

im from northern ireland lived in belfast for a while doubt u'd find any problems at all unless ur a complete asshole. :)

Keep your mouth shut and you'll be allright.!!As for vandalism probably not as bad as most cities on the mainland.

Englishmen are fine. Scousers, though, are another matter ;)

errmmmm okay, i don't think anyone puts bombs on cars with english plates, lol

vandalism - just like any other city, unfortunately.

I thought I might just be being silly.
My memory from last time I was over there was a drive through a rough-looking estate with huge political murals painted on the side of every end terrace that were all somewhat scary.

A quick trip to the BBC NI site and I'm finding articles about murders and about the IRA recruiting new members.

I'm having a huge run of bad luck with my car at the moment, and I wont have had it back long by the time I go, so I could do without shelling out for a £1000 repair, then getting it blown up or smashed in.

TBH you'd be far safer hiring a car! We've only just had the 8PM curfew extended to 9PM to allow for the longer evenings! :eek:

Belfast is still in the grip of guerrilla warfare and the kidnapping of Brits is rife but on the bright side the chances of you being refused the use of old Northern Bank notes in shops is pretty low! :D

I've had to do a lot of work in Belfast lately and I had similar worries to you (and also felt a bit daft) but I've found it to be a great city. I'm working with the same group of people over the next few months and they've been explaining to me all the hassles etc and they're pretty surprised by the way Belfast is still portrayed on the mainland.

The crime levels there are no higher than any other UK city - it's just there they get blamed on 'the troubles' whereas in Manchester, London, Leeds etc it's more likely to be drugs or gang problems.

In the evenings I've been out exploring on foot and never felt particularly worried - though have taken the precautions I would if walking on my own in any unfamiliar city. I can recommend the La Mon or Park Avenue Hotels (company pays) - La Mon is the jolly posh one with the FAB pool, but the food was great in both and everyone really friendly.
Enjoy!

:)

Safer than most inner cities in mainland Britain mate:thumb:

Check out Robinsons, Benedicts, The Fly and Wellie Park if they are all still there !!!.

You will have a gas.

Spent alot of time there...never had any hassle, personally or towards my car

Then I'm not English :)

You must be out in the sticks to get a 9PM curfew -We have to be home with the doors locked by 6 oclock before the shooting starts. Its been ages since there was a decent riot -last Thursday I think. And did you know that Next in Forestside isn't having a fire damage sale when it reopens.


Lum - you should be OK unless you have a number 2 all over, shiny boots and seams ironed in the front of your jeans. Oh yeah - stay of the busses - you don't want to get torched and turned into a roadblock. If you get a bomb on your car, never cut the red wire - its a decoy......

anyway - I was planning a trip through England next month and I have to drive through Liverpool. Do they still steal the wheels off cars at the traffic lights? :D

pmsl @ this thread!

yeah, diascooby - they're all still there...

Cannot believe no one warned about the snipers as well,get on ebay and see if you can obtain o good bullet proof vest,pull it well up in case they go for a head shot!!!!.
LOL @ BEW

I Lived and worked in Belfast for just over a year and i NEVER had any problems or hassle, the people are friendly and crime is very low, always felt safe walking home from the nightclubs. Dont know about the car issue as hubby had a car with NI plates. He was from Belfast and wanted to live in England so we moved away and i was gutted, loved it over there. just one tip, if anybody starts talking politics etc, keep your gob shut and dont try to offer your opinion, unless you are born there you really dont have clue.

PMSL @ Lum :D

I can't comment on random scrote nicking your car but as they don't have roadblocks with squadies any more, the chances are less that it'll be nicked just for joyriding and seeing how many bullet-holes the car can collect without injury to the occupants - can't recall what that game was called - fb?

Having been brought up in the North and the South (north of!) in the 60s/70s/80s & having in no way an Irish accent, rather a very English one, I can report that even in the height of the troubles, when we lived in Dunmurray & the Provos were taking potshots @ the GOCs house over our estate, they were bombing the local co-op & we had to sometimes leave school in the Malone Road 'cos of bomb threats - thats when there were warnings - when we were caught up in Bloody Sunday & going round the back of the Diamond & seeing the crowds moving forward...

Never ever a problem. My old man, ex Royal Navy officer, used to drive all over the 6 counties in his job during this time, never a problem.

Whilst undoubtedly attrocities have been committed on both sides, the actual daily effect of the "troubles" has probably been sensationalised to a degree but most people just minded (& still do mind) their Ps & Qs and get on with their lives.

So, advice as that - don't shoot your mouth off with people you don't know, mind what you say and otherwise have a good time in the bars, catch some craic & get out to see what this part of the UK has to offer, which is a lot. Pop over the border for some cheaper petrol & enjoy that as well.

I feel safer in the "North" than I would in Hackney or Liverpool...

Puff - never knew you lived in Dunmurray - I used to live on Upper Dunmurry Lane - About 20 yards from The Black Swan. I'll never forget driving up UDL one night and a squaddie jumps out on the McKinstry road bridge with his torch turned off.... I skids to a halt and says'Turn your torch on if you are stopping people' - he says "I would but those cnuts from Twinbrook keep taking potshots at red lights' :D

This no longer happens since the scallies figured out how to remove wheels from a moving car. They keep pace with you in their souped up Nova (K&N filter and a backbox) and one passenger leans out the window and inserts the wheelbrace, the action of your wheels turning undoes the wheelnut and soon afterwards your wheel is stolen.

It is not a major issue though as before your brake disc hits the road, a white van from the local scrapyard will be along full of bent steel wheels and bald tyres that he cannot afford to dispose of environmentally. He will only be too happy to fit them to your car free of charge and without asking as it saves paying to get rid of them, or risking getting done dumping them at the side of the M62.

Small world...I hail from Suffolk meself.

Malone Road? Posh bastid then :):):)

Malone Road :confused: :lol:

I would hardly call a two bedroom terrace with no heating posh.... but I suppose you being from Suffolk........ :p :D:D

You would be ok,
if you fancy a day out you should check out the murals on the shanklin road and be sure to wear a Celtic top to show them you are ok.you will go there for a laugh and come back in stitches LOL.
(No offence meant to the locals in the making of this reply).

FPMSL :D:D:D:D

Wont work - the locals from the Shankill Road now wear Celtic tops so that they can invade the Falls without getting noticed. The hoods from the Falls know this, so they wear Celtic tops to invade the Shankill, on the basis that the hoods from the Shankill will think the Falls hoods are Shankill hoods getting ready to invade the Falls. Whatever you do, don't wear a Rnagers top. Everyone will know you are an outsider.

I remember getting lost once - I think it was Flack Street - alternate Red White and Blue, then Green White and Gold kerbs. A guy jumped out of an alley and said - what religion are you. I wasn't sure if I was in a Green bit or an Orange bit, so I said I was a Jew. He pulls out a big knife and says - Is that a Catholic Jew or a Protestant Jew

:confused:

PMSL@ FB! :D

don't give this poor guy a heart attack! ;)

http://www.measureformeasure.co.uk/a...scouserset.jpg

Just advise him to cut the perm,shave the moustache and only sell smack to true loyalists! :D

ive felt safer on the streets of belfast than i have in alot of english cities...spent 4 years there...!

PMSL @Fast Bloke,Quality story.
Anothe rgood day out s to go down to lisburn and visit the Glue Factory, best smell since the black plauge.
Mac

Is that where they burn all the wee animals just beside a Scooby garage (trying to make this topical) ;)

Reminds me of the one about the unlucky soul walking down the Shankill and a bloke stops him and asks him if he's a taig or a prod. "Neither" says the bloke, "I'm jewish". He walks 50 yards down the street and an arab shot him.

Two jews walking down Royal Avenue and a beautiful girl walks past them. One turns to the other and says "I'll tell you what, I'd lend her one"

:)

plastic fivers :D

Christ if Wellie Park and Benedicts are still open I am back over on the weekend!!!!!!!!
My daddy was from Lurgan and I spent 3 weeks every summer there from 1968-5, happy days :D:D
I then spent 10 years with various people trying to use me for target practice from 84-94.
Then 6 years after that worked there for a year.
Fantastic place and if I had a job to go to in NI I would be there like a rat up a drainpipe

Talk about Celtic tops.......

Imagine your called Sean, your as green grape as it comes, you've pulled a bird from the Shankill in Benedicts, your back at her place, she falls asleep at 4am and you then sneak out and try and find a taxi !!!!!!.
Guess who gave me a lift home ?. ;)