If Lisburn can be a City, then most towns in Northern Ireland will qualify. It didn't even have a hotel when it was "made" a city, and the Shopping Mall has less shops in it now, than it ever had.
I live about three miles away from Lisburn and the 20 years since it became a city has not been kind or had the positive impact that was hoped. Bow Street is not the same as it was in the 1990's when it was bustling and full of independent shops with not many empty units. The planners gave permission for more units at Sprucefield and Tesco/Lidl outside the city along with other outlets which drained the Main Street of footfall. Last time I was in Bangor the one way system made parking nightmare. In the Main Street I saw more traffic wardens than shoppers. They need to invest in the infrastructure if they are going to develop the 'city' centre or it will be a city in name only.
All very true CP about Lisburn, I always go to Sprucefield to shop, I begrudge paying for parking, and there seems to be a traffic warden on every corner, as I drive through it, on my way to shops elsewhere.
City my a**. I grew up in Bangor and had some great times in the town(TOWN). Personally I believe there is only 2 genuine Cities in N.I..the original two !!
I remember years ago meeting a couple from Bangor one night in a pub in Donegal Tom..They actually invited us up to stay with them..Alas we never took up the offer . I still remember their names...That must have been 30/40 years ago.
It is so sad to see old images of the town and then to have to drive or walk through the husk of what we have now. The council should be absolutely ashamed of themselves and the sooner a FOI is put in regarding the series of plans and who in their family benefited off the numerous 5 figure architecture drawings the better. I'm not a grizzled old timer btw (30's) just waded through urban decay videos of the flagship to even see this 🤦 PS oh yea we are a city now 🤷🏼♂️ Most run down city centre in the UK and no doubt the next City of Culture to join the illustrious likes of Bradford
Hi AH, I'm afraid the Bangor saga is very depressing. There is no way that this husk can be dressed up as a city. It is beyond ridiculous. Because it has all been done by so called 'royal' appointment no one is prepared to challenge it. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
What? The Flagship is abandoned now as well?! But that was a reasonably recent mall. 80's or 90's. Built on what used to be the Co-op, that was also great. Just looked up the video about the Flagship. Thanks for the tip. There seem to be no shops left, except charity shops. At least the Springhill Shopping Center is still there, but that is a good way out of the center and seafront (if you could call it that). And only really accessible by car. Businesses failing (or succeeding) have a domino effect though. People don't tend to go to a town center just for one or two shops, they like to browse around.
I was born in Bangor and have lived in it all my life . I remember it in the 1960's as a youngster . The place is a sad shell of what it used to be . The idea of making it a city is a joke . Maybe it's just so that they can charge higher rates ?
Lmao Tom awesome vid.more life in Ballyhackamore it really looks like a ghost town.Opps sorry City 😂😂, Belfast better look out .interesting who. Decides what town becomes a City .Lisburn,Newry,now Bangor. Maybe Larne will be next lol.still loving the old rants.👍🇨🇦☘️🇬🇧
This is down to the Queen supposedly YB as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. This is yet another token benevolence bestowed by her Maj on us plebs. -( More than likely some done deal by her advisers. ) I just can't accept the nonsense. lol Rants? I can't help myself. No one in our sanitized royalty loving press is allowed to say these things.
It sounds awful it's definitely city traffic wise .!! .it's hectic. don't agree with title City.!! . sadly the centre of Bangor . Hasnt .got much left ..high Street is trying hard with new little shops ,. people need to respect their town...some nice parks love . little cafe at ward park . Good idea 👍
Hey thanks NJ. I'm afraid Bangor and indeed Belfast are increasingly sad reflections of their past selves. So many reasons for this decline. I must check out that wee cafe! Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
Thanks for sharing Tom,I don’t think it’s a City,I do like it though but preferred it in my childhood when there was a Beach and the Putting Green and the Amusement’s.
Barry's was epic. Loved the ghost train, the penny in the slot machines with the film stars and the helter skelter. And then there was the Palladium a few doors up, with the penny falls.
@@emmajones8590 I seem to remember like a Frankenstein and Dracula figure in a glass cabinet where you put money in a slot,and as a child I loved the Beach and seem to remember a big Red and White Ball thing on the beach.
@@paulallenMacca Sure you're not confusing it with one of the figures in the ghost train? Maybe not. I remember the 3 cabinets where they would show 'executions'. There was the English one, where he was hanged. The American where he was electrocuted and the French where the doll's head was cut off. They were creepy and morbid, but very popular. I remember a laughing sailor doll as well.
its daft.....there's plenty needs done and this doesnt benefit anything and having time spent on this seems a total waste....half the TOWN is derelict.
I tend to agree with you TS2000. I suppose it does bring attention to the place and give people a lift but will it change anything practically? I somehow doubt it. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
Not the TOWN I was born and raised in. Closed shops, no seafront worth talking about, nothing seaside about to it. Between the wel-heeled yacht club and the council it is a dump. I no longer want to visit it. City?????? Get a grip😫
I don't know what's going on with this city status Tom, they seem to be dishing them out all over the place over here we have Doncaster, Colchester, and Milton Kynes may be Bempton will be next LOL, I might get to be Mayer.it's nuts.
Hi Kaz. This is Bangor Co Down. I think you are referring to Bangor North Wales, which is a lot more lively and bigger. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills of Northern Ireland.
Hey Kaz, it's an easy mistake to make. All the best for your studies. I have visited Bangor N Wales. It's beautiful and full of historic Norman castles. Best wishes
Differnly not a city not enough people to call it a city not enough shopping centres closed down units but I do like visiting bangor my favourite place to vist is museum and walk around castle grounds and the marina walk I think bangor should remain a sea side town that's what bangor really is same with Newcastle co down its not a city either but nice enough to visit and stay over
The parks still seem to be nice. The large stretch of woods in Castle Park were always lovely. There used to be a little tool shed in among the trees. My sister and I thought a witch lived in it when we were little. Ward Park was always beautiful as well with the ducks and the little children's zoo. Don't know if that was still there. The only thing that used to rile us as kids is that the council would chain up the swings on a Sunday. Heaven forbid if a little kid had a bit of fun on a Sunday.
I have to agree. It is looking pretty sad John. Unfortunately Belfast also is in a state of serious decline and most towns east of the Bann too. The virus, close down, was the final nail in the coffin for many. It's funny how Amazon and Argos continued to trade and pull in so many more customers. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
@@TomMcClean The decline set in long before covid. In the case of Bangor, I think it was chiefly the marina and car park that ruined it for family holidays and day trippers. My gran lived there and we would spend 3 weeks in Bangor in the sixties every year. I also worked in a chippy on Queen's Parade in the seventies. These days: beach is gone, Pickie Pool is gone, promenade is gone, Barry's amusements is gone, the big department stores like Woolworth's, Wellworth's and the Co-op long gone. The small boutiques in Main Street gone. Market gone. Most of the cafés and pubs seem to have gone. Even the classic Victorian railway station has been demolished and replaced by a modern monstrocity. Queen's Parade is a disgrace. Saw a film of it by night recently. Looked like a good place to get mugged. Creepy looking with all those empty, crumbling, boarded up shops. Positive point, the parks still seem to be nice. And the fun fair at the bottom of Main Street is good. Gives a bit of life to the place.
East Belfast where I grew up is odd. The Strandtown area has about 15 places to get a cup of coffee, a sandwich or a takeaway, but not a single place to go out for a drink in the evenings. There must be enough customers to keep all those eateries open. There wasn't one in the old days except a chippy. It was a place to do your shopping and then go home.
We come to Bangor quite a bit. We head to the walled garden and museum and Ward park. Then we take a dander out by the marina to the big children's play park and the coastal walk. The town streets have very few shops of interest left. High rentals rates and traffic wardens probably killed them off. I don't know where Bangor is going but there are a few signs of hope. The Guillemot cafe area is one.
If Lisburn can be a City, then most towns in Northern Ireland will qualify. It didn't even have a hotel when it was "made" a city, and the Shopping Mall has less shops in it now, than it ever had.
Agreed Raymond.
True
Lisburn and Bangor are in a similar position
I live about three miles away from Lisburn and the 20 years since it became a city has not been kind or had the positive impact that was hoped. Bow Street is not the same as it was in the 1990's when it was bustling and full of independent shops with not many empty units. The planners gave permission for more units at Sprucefield and Tesco/Lidl outside the city along with other outlets which drained the Main Street of footfall. Last time I was in Bangor the one way system made parking nightmare. In the Main Street I saw more traffic wardens than shoppers. They need to invest in the infrastructure if they are going to develop the 'city' centre or it will be a city in name only.
All very true CP about Lisburn, I always go to Sprucefield to shop, I begrudge paying for parking, and there seems to be a traffic warden on every corner, as I drive through it, on my way to shops elsewhere.
Yes a city in name only CP. And you make a good point about the traffic wardens. We noticed them that day when we were down. No mercy given.
Sadly cornflake, the same can be said of many town and cities mainland Uk, the big super markets, hardware store’s kill the high streets.
They are developing it I'm from antrim I go to Bangor to see family there making a new cinema and bringing back the flagship
And some new shops are appearing
Thanks for sharing this Tom I used to love walking round Bangor by the sea
Bangor is a great place for a dander and a chip Paul but that's about it.
City my a**.
I grew up in Bangor and had some great times in the town(TOWN).
Personally I believe there is only 2 genuine Cities in N.I..the original two !!
Hi CMA. I agree with you. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
Oooops wrong tag name Sia2u. Oh dear! sorry about that.
I remember years ago meeting a couple from Bangor one night in a pub in Donegal Tom..They actually invited us up to stay with them..Alas we never took up the offer . I still remember their names...That must have been 30/40 years ago.
Wow they must have made a good impression on you Michael!
@@TomMcClean Very nice couple...
Take me down to Bangor City, Where the Grass is Green and The Park is Pickie
Very good Mike! lol
It is so sad to see old images of the town and then to have to drive or walk through the husk of what we have now. The council should be absolutely ashamed of themselves and the sooner a FOI is put in regarding the series of plans and who in their family benefited off the numerous 5 figure architecture drawings the better. I'm not a grizzled old timer btw (30's) just waded through urban decay videos of the flagship to even see this 🤦
PS oh yea we are a city now 🤷🏼♂️ Most run down city centre in the UK and no doubt the next City of Culture to join the illustrious likes of Bradford
Hi AH, I'm afraid the Bangor saga is very depressing. There is no way that this husk can be dressed up as a city. It is beyond ridiculous. Because it has all been done by so called 'royal' appointment no one is prepared to challenge it. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
What? The Flagship is abandoned now as well?!
But that was a reasonably recent mall. 80's or 90's. Built on what used to be the Co-op, that was also great.
Just looked up the video about the Flagship.
Thanks for the tip.
There seem to be no shops left, except charity shops.
At least the Springhill Shopping Center is still there, but that is a good way out of the center and seafront (if you could call it that).
And only really accessible by car.
Businesses failing (or succeeding) have a domino effect though.
People don't tend to go to a town center just for one or two shops, they like to browse around.
Flagship closed in 2019. So that at any rate wasn't due to a covid lockdown.
I was born in Bangor and have lived in it all my life . I remember it in the 1960's as a youngster . The place is a sad shell of what it used to be . The idea of making it a city is a joke . Maybe it's just so that they can charge higher rates ?
Yes I totally agree Groover! I 'm not sure about the rates but city? No way.
Newtownards,Enskillen and larne should be cities then because Ards and enskillen have airport's and larne has a port
Exactly P&CF! Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
Lmao Tom awesome vid.more life in Ballyhackamore it really looks like a ghost town.Opps sorry City 😂😂,
Belfast better look out .interesting who. Decides what town becomes a City .Lisburn,Newry,now Bangor.
Maybe Larne will be next lol.still loving the old rants.👍🇨🇦☘️🇬🇧
This is down to the Queen supposedly YB as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. This is yet another token benevolence bestowed by her Maj on us plebs. -( More than likely some done deal by her advisers. ) I just can't accept the nonsense. lol Rants? I can't help myself. No one in our sanitized royalty loving press is allowed to say these things.
I have known it as Bangor Town and I love it thank you for letting us know
We love it being there Jeanette. But is it a city? I don't think so.
I think Bangor being a city is stupid but carryduff should be a city
Thanks for having your say CUHG!
Agreed!
Thanks Mike. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
It sounds awful it's definitely city traffic wise .!! .it's hectic.
don't agree with title City.!!
. sadly the centre of Bangor . Hasnt .got much left ..high Street is trying hard with new little shops ,. people need to respect their town...some nice parks love . little cafe at ward park . Good idea 👍
Hey thanks NJ. I'm afraid Bangor and indeed Belfast are increasingly sad reflections of their past selves. So many reasons for this decline. I must check out that wee cafe! Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
Thanks for sharing Tom,I don’t think it’s a City,I do like it though but preferred it in my childhood when there was a Beach and the Putting Green and the Amusement’s.
Totally agree Paul.
@@TomMcClean Yeah Tom.
Barry's was epic. Loved the ghost train, the penny in the slot machines with the film stars and the helter skelter. And then there was the Palladium a few doors up, with the penny falls.
@@emmajones8590 I seem to remember like a Frankenstein and Dracula figure in a glass cabinet where you put money in a slot,and as a child I loved the Beach and seem to remember a big Red and White Ball thing on the beach.
@@paulallenMacca Sure you're not confusing it with one of the figures in the ghost train? Maybe not. I remember the 3 cabinets where they would show 'executions'. There was the English one, where he was hanged. The American where he was electrocuted and the French where the doll's head was cut off. They were creepy and morbid, but very popular. I remember a laughing sailor doll as well.
Very nice place
We always love going there RD but we know the best places to go. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
its daft.....there's plenty needs done and this doesnt benefit anything and having time spent on this seems a total waste....half the TOWN is derelict.
I tend to agree with you TS2000. I suppose it does bring attention to the place and give people a lift but will it change anything practically? I somehow doubt it. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
Not the TOWN I was born and raised in. Closed shops, no seafront worth talking about, nothing seaside about to it. Between the wel-heeled yacht club and the council it is a dump. I no longer want to visit it. City?????? Get a grip😫
Thanks Brian. I agree, Bangor is no city.
had a small beach now carpark
Yes that's right I remember it.
I don't know what's going on with this city status Tom, they seem to be dishing them out all over the place over here we have Doncaster, Colchester, and Milton Kynes may be Bempton will be next LOL, I might get to be Mayer.it's nuts.
And what about the honours system Chris. Do your very prestigious well paid Gov't job for 20 years and you get an OBE CBE etc.
Fancy a city break to Bangor? .. said no-one ever...
Hi David. I have to agree with you. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
I’m coming to bangor university this September. Could you please give me any advice for an international student living in bangor ?
Hi Kaz. This is Bangor Co Down. I think you are referring to Bangor North Wales, which is a lot more lively and bigger. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills of Northern Ireland.
@@TomMcClean oh okay sorry. Thank you!
Hey Kaz, it's an easy mistake to make. All the best for your studies. I have visited Bangor N Wales. It's beautiful and full of historic Norman castles. Best wishes
@@TomMcClean thank you
@@TomMcClean any other advice you could give for living in the UK? Thank you 🙏
it's a fantastic place
Yes great walks and views Jeanette.
The Bangor Omniplex is quite good, don’t really have any other things to say about Bangor…
Right Mike.
Bangor aurora is a nice waterpark
I agree with you Tom. Definitely not a City. Who makes these decisions?
The decision here was made by Royal clueless advisors and bureaucrats at Stormont, Westminster etc
Differnly not a city not enough people to call it a city not enough shopping centres closed down units but I do like visiting bangor my favourite place to vist is museum and walk around castle grounds and the marina walk I think bangor should remain a sea side town that's what bangor really is same with Newcastle co down its not a city either but nice enough to visit and stay over
Again I totally agree Jeremy. We love up in round the walled garden and museum area too. I want to get into Bangor Abbey but it's always shut.
The parks still seem to be nice. The large stretch of woods in Castle Park were always lovely.
There used to be a little tool shed in among the trees. My sister and I thought a witch lived in it when we were little.
Ward Park was always beautiful as well with the ducks and the little children's zoo.
Don't know if that was still there.
The only thing that used to rile us as kids is that the council would chain up the swings on a Sunday.
Heaven forbid if a little kid had a bit of fun on a Sunday.
It will probably cost them more, than they will gain from it!
Sadly I wouldn't be at all surprised Richard.
I think the arrival of the Marina ruined it.
I think most people would agree.
number 1? fresh fish shop
Right.
It's not a city, it's a seaside town. They'll be calling Portrush a city next. Laughable.
Laughable indeed in our very strange world PC ! Where right has become wrong and wrong is now right.
It used to be a seaside town, before they concreted over the beach.
What a joke. A certain town in County Antrim is more like a city than Bangor is.
Exactly Stephanie. It is all about who you know and your connections. etc
fun fare run by RUSSIANS x
OK.
Could be. But at least it is SOMETHING for tourists and the local kids to enjoy. If they can afford it.
£5 ago?@@emmajones8590
A city? WTF?
Indeed David!
Lisburn, Newry, Bangor?
Indeed Colin.
maybe good place to take `drugs` to on boats ?
This is probably happening right along the coast.
is crap
It's not a city.
It's a dump Seafront is a total disgrace Charity shops and coffee shop central
I have to agree. It is looking pretty sad John. Unfortunately Belfast also is in a state of serious decline and most towns east of the Bann too. The virus, close down, was the final nail in the coffin for many. It's funny how Amazon and Argos continued to trade and pull in so many more customers. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
@@TomMcClean The decline set in long before covid. In the case of Bangor, I think it was chiefly the marina and car park that ruined it for family holidays and day trippers. My gran lived there and we would spend 3 weeks in Bangor in the sixties every year. I also worked in a chippy on Queen's Parade in the seventies.
These days: beach is gone, Pickie Pool is gone, promenade is gone, Barry's amusements is gone, the big department stores like Woolworth's, Wellworth's and the Co-op long gone. The small boutiques in Main Street gone. Market gone. Most of the cafés and pubs seem to have gone. Even the classic Victorian railway station has been demolished and replaced by a modern monstrocity. Queen's Parade is a disgrace. Saw a film of it by night recently. Looked like a good place to get mugged. Creepy looking with all those empty, crumbling, boarded up shops.
Positive point, the parks still seem to be nice.
And the fun fair at the bottom of Main Street is good.
Gives a bit of life to the place.
East Belfast where I grew up is odd. The Strandtown area has about 15 places to get a cup of coffee, a sandwich or a takeaway, but not a single place to go out for a drink in the evenings. There must be enough customers to keep all those eateries open.
There wasn't one in the old days except a chippy. It was a place to do your shopping and then go home.
We come to Bangor quite a bit. We head to the walled garden and museum and Ward park. Then we take a dander out by the marina to the big children's play park and the coastal walk. The town streets have very few shops of interest left. High rentals rates and traffic wardens probably killed them off. I don't know where Bangor is going but there are a few signs of hope. The Guillemot cafe area is one.