David Mitchell

Connswater shopping centre is closing on 21^st March. It’s a landmark in working class, inner East Belfast. It’s a place full of childhood memories (although not mine). It’s a dump. But it deserves a little photo tribute here. Will we miss it when it’s gone?

Connswater is at the centre of an interesting patchwork of socio-economic realities, all within a five-minute walking radius: big-box discount stores, global brands like Starbucks and Tim Hortons, community regeneration (CS Lewis Square and the greenway), and several hipster outlets.   

So there’s been a decent amount of improvement and ‘animation’ close by which has made the Connswater centre’s decline all the more stark. Only 20 of 50 shops units are occupied. Most of these are discount shops, and several units are used by community groups. The cafés seem populated solely by elderly people in need of a seat, and probably, warmth.  

The land on which the centre stands was once an industrial hub of the British Empire. Today, Connswater would not be known as a hotbed of progressive ideas. I remember years ago, Anna Lo, when she was an MLA, said she was racially abused at ‘an East Belfast shopping centre’ (there’s only one). In 1997, Tony Blair was heckled and jostled by an angry crowd when he went to Connswater for a walkabout straight after shaking Gerry Adams’ hand at Stormont.

That said, the centre, like the river, is named after Conn O’Neill, last Gaelic lord of Belfast. I once saw a copy of Empireland: How Imperialism Shaped Modern Britain by Sathnam Sanghera on sale in The Works for six pounds.

The food court upstairs is desolate, but the view – and I think few people realise this – is terrific. Cave Hill, not the car park. They made an admirable attempt at creating an attractive play area for kids.

Any sentimentality I have for Connswater is due to my many visits with the kids over the years. Stationery and stickers in The Works. Snacks in Poundland. Coffee for me in Del Pieros. The vacant units at the far end made the mall a safe, empty space to toddle and run in. They’d muck about sort of happily on the unmoving little rides which I refused to pay to make go. They’d beg for sweets from the dispensers, and I’d refuse that too. They’d cry. Precious times.

Some of the shops are now selling stuff off. There was a final-days-before-the-lockdown feel in Poundland – queues and empty shelves. I got a pair of Thinsulate gloves in Blue Inc for just four pounds.  

I assume Connswater will be wiped off the face of the earth. Hopefully something good for local people comes in its place.