Residential Places in Belfast

Hospitals and Universities of Belfast

Commercial Places in Belfast

Most of the restaurants in the city are of the British, Irish and Scottish persuasion as you may have expected, although International and American cuisines are well represented as well. There is also a smattering of dining establishments that offer Italian, Chinese, Indian and Thai food, in addition to a few other restaurants that offer more esoteric cuisine from around the world.

Some of the best restaurants in the city include James Street South, which serves traditional Irish and Scottish dishes, Restaurant Michael Deane, which is distinctly International in culinary approach, and Speranza, which is one of the few authentic Italian restaurants in town.

Shopping is one area where Belfast definitely shines, contrary to most expectations. Donegall Place is a great place to begin your shopping expedition, with the many shops, jewelry and gift stores that line the street offering plenty to both the casual window shopper and the pro.

If crafts are what you are after, head straight to Craftworks Gallery at Bedford Street for the stunningly wide array of local crafts from all over the region. The biggest surprise here is how reasonably priced everything is.

Finally, for the most convenient and complete shopping experience under one roof, you don’t have to look any further than the Castlecourt Shopping Centre on Royal Avenue.

Service Establishments of Belfast

Most of the water supply of Belfast comes from the Silent Valley Reservoir, which is located in County Down. The reservoir was built for the sole purpose of collecting water from the Mourne Mountains. The city also draws some of its water supply from Lough Neagh. This supply is controlled by the Dunore Water Treatment Works, which is located in County Antrim.

Water supply fees are paid for by the residents of Belfast along with their rates bill. There were plans to impose additional water tariffs in the city but these plans have been deferred for the time being beginning in May 2007.

With regard to wastewater disposal, Belfast has an extensive network of more than 1,300 kilometers of sewers. This network is currently being replaced at the cost of more than £100 million, and the project is expected to be completed in 2009.

Electricity transmission and distribution services in Belfast are primarily handled by The Northern Ireland Electricity, who–as you may have guessed from the name–is also responsible for transmitting electricity all over Northern Ireland. The city’s electricity comes from the Kilroot Power Station, which is a dual coal and oil fired 520-megawatt plant, located near Carrickfergus.

Natural gas is supplied to the Belfast by Phoenix Natural Gas Ltd., which transports gas from Stranraer across the Irish Sea, where it is routed to the city via a base station near Carrickfergus.

Embassies in Belfast

British nationals who require consular assistance while in Belfast can contact the British Embassy in Dublin. Their office can be found at 29 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. They have a number of telephone numbers available that you can call depending on your particular concern. These are: (353)(1) 205 3700 for the main switchboard, (353) (1) 205 3775 for commercial inquiries, (353) (1) 205 3792 for defense, (353) (1) 205 3700 for passport or VISA assistance, and (353) (1) 205 3742 for press and public affairs concerns.  For more information you can visit the embassy’s Web site at http://www.britishembassy.ie.