Smithfield Market Belfast Walk Round

[@donnasmyth45]

Great wee spot at the end of your video Tom. My son and I spent two consecutive days there playing their arcade machine game and drinking hot chocolate 😊

[@TomMcClean]

You are a laugh Donna! Good for you and your wee lad. I am uploading a new video on this shop with an interview with owner Alan.

[@donnasmyth45]

@@TomMcClean ☺

[@flowerfairy1950]

Hi Tom, Hubby liked the murals depicting the old Smithfield - remembered Kavanaghs and a few others. FF

[@TomMcClean]

I bought my first leather motorbike jacket in here in maybe 1974 at, Andrews motorbike shop.Yes the arcade murals show what it had looked like back then. Everybody knew Kavanaghs.

[@flowerfairy1950]

@@TomMcClean Before we met in late 60s (married 1970) Hubby bought a Biggles type Flying Jacket from a disposal shop in High Street. He wore it for many years.

[@TomMcClean]

I used to love those old WW2 flying jackets. I don't think I ever got one but we did have a Biggles flying helmet. I bought a pair of goggles too for my first bike. lol Good times.

[@paulpayton8238]

Good afternoon Tom I used to like to look around there, looks a lot the same as I remember it 8 years ago???

[@TomMcClean]

Nothing much has changed Paul! lol

[@skimmingstoness]

I haven't been in Smithfield indoor market for nearly 20 years and it has not changed a bit, don't remember the Hydrophonics shop. Always amazes me how it is illegal to grow and cultivate cannabis but legal to open a shop that sells everything you could possibly need to grow it.

[@TomMcClean]

Yes that is funny CP. We have looked into CBD oil and there is a strong argument for using it to reduce all sorts of medical problems. But our caring government thinks it would be bad for us and they obviously know best! ( Or maybe the big pharmas who contril government, don't want the competition or the public using something that might be beneficial and outside of their control!) Wasn't it nice that our caring governement decided that the off licences, selling potentially 'bad for us' alcohol, remained open for us all during the various shutdowns! CBD bad! Alcohol good! Where is the logic?

[@skimmingstoness]

@@TomMcClean Indeed Tom, given my spinal issue I've researched and looked into CBD. Some of the stuff I got out of Boots helped in a similar way to anti-inflammatory gel. However I'm still not convinced the stuff they are legally allowed to sell is giving the true benefits. I know there are people who have certain cancers who are benefiting from taking medical grade cannabis but are forced to pay £500 a month for private prescriptions because the NHS won't fund it. This is despite hundreds of studies that prove it helps and has a positive impact on some peoples lives. What I don't understand is that the NHS can throw millions away on things that have serious side effects but something which has been proven through studies to work is ignored.

[@TomMcClean]

There are ways and means to get this medical grade stuff CP and not have to pay those huge amounts. ( Probably illegal though but desperate people will do desperate things when need be. ) The NHS are tied to what their suppiers recommend and will sell to them and the prices their managers have agreed to pay. Often these prices are inflated and the drugs etc can be bought cheaper elsewhere. The NHS managers never act in the best interests of the public. They are a self perpetuating business.

[@patsymillar9447]

I used to love going to Smithfield with daddy. I still have the copy of Tarka the otter that he bought me. I think it cost 1/3. And mummy flat iron. It was bought in Smithfield after our house fire. She used it for years until we managed to persuade her to buy an electric iron. Though Smithfield has survived it hasn't the atmosphere of the old one, which was like entering alladins cave.

[@TomMcClean]

I remeber the old Smithfield Patsy. I bought my first ever leather motorbike jacket there at Andrews motorbike shop. I had it for decades. You are right the atmosphere is not the same.

[@chriswardlow9441]

Anne & I love a good market Tom just love the model shop but i think Anne would be saying to me what are you getting now you have no room for any more lol

[@TomMcClean]

Tanya would be saying this kind of thing too Chris! It must be a women thing.

[@stevieokie1]

Smithfield Market, Belfast, no matter they say. Smithfield Market, Belfast, will never pass away. Its being going strong, a hundred years or more and people come from many a land to view this superstore - James Young

[@TomMcClean]

Yes Stevie, James Young would have used Smithfield quite a bit in his comedy film clips. Very much an historic social gathering place from early days. Best wishes from the Belfat Castlereagh hills.

[@gregbruns8442]

That is a very nice indoor market. There are some very nice and useful small shops in there. I love these little shops as they are one of the purest and most simple examples of entrepreneurship. They also offer such unique services and products. The sewing shop is a great example. We have a really good one here in our almost dead mall. He’s a tailor, but he will happily put a snap on your favorite jacket or shorten a drape or whatever you need. His business is thriving because he offers a valuable skilled service. His and the phone case kiosk are about the only places thriving in the old mall. I couldn’t tell if you were joking about the hydroponics store or not. They sell things to help you grow marijuana. Not that I’m a fan of the stuff. We used to get a lot of people asking for grow lights at the hardware store until it was legalized in other states. Now they just buy it there, I guess. Occasionally we get people who come in the store smelling very strongly of the stuff. I don’t know who they think they are fooling, but it isn’t me! It is still illegal in Iowa.

[@TomMcClean]

This market place has been going for literally hundreds of year Greg. It was fire bombed in 1976 and then around 10 years later rebuilt. The atmosphere and character of the place wasn't the same though. I bought my firset real leather motorbike jacket here. I had it for decades. I think Tanya threw it out in the end. It was going all flakey. A number of shops that used to be here were unique. Yes this is probably the biggest sewing repair shop in Belfast. A lot of the old skills died out but are now being resurrected and revisted. There is huge interest. Boy I didn't know about the marijuana Greg!!!! I had no idea about the connection! lol We have heavy laws against cannabis but alcohol is free to all over 18! Many would argue with good reason that alcohol abuse is a much more dangerous drug!

[@gregbruns8442]

@@TomMcClean And I would agree with that assessment. Drunk people do a lot more harm than stoned people. But I think a good cup of tea or a soda is the better way to go.

[@TomMcClean]

I'll have the tea Greg every time!

[@BelfastMurf]

That new Smithfield is on the site of the old bus depot. Built there when they destroyed that area of the city with the Castle Court fiasco. Previously there was a mill there that has an old Belfast ghost story attached. If memory serves, the old floors of that mill couldn’t handle the weight of new machinery causing a collapse that killed some of the women working there. The bus depot was destroyed in a bomb attack that did almost as much damage as the afore mentioned Castle Court & old Mr McMurray had planned to buy it & extend McMurray’s department store all the way across to the old Smithfield. He already owned Samuel Street which, now empty, runs between the two sites.

[@TomMcClean]

Hey BelfastMurf! Many thanks for taking the time to give this excellent detailed information. I wasn't aware of most of this. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.

[@kathleenkendalljacksgrandm6902]

❤️🍀☘️

[@TomMcClean]

Thanks Kathleen.

[@johnlavery6116]

Was last there in 64,quite a change from then.

[@TomMcClean]

Oh a massive change John, The fire bombing of 1976 destroyed everything that was original. The atmosphere/characrer were sadly never going to be the same. Most of the 'old hands' like Andrews and Kavanagh are long gone. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.

[@johnlavery6116]

@@TomMcClean Thanks for yourreply Tom,.yes things never stay the same for long,those were the day's as the song says...all the best from Armagh.

[@JulieMcguigan-d3k]

Had a very strange Experience in the sewing box years back, The girl working there, knew some things about me even got my name right! Baffled me, never met this person in my life, Spooked me a bit never went back lol

[@TomMcClean]

Yes that must have been unnerving. There could be numerous explanations though. On the other hand she could be one of those psychic type folk. The Bible even refers to them.

[@crustymongrel1898]

They sold a Doom shotgun in there. Hope it’s still there

[@TomMcClean]

Hey thanks CM. I presume you are referring to the Doom video game. My all time favourite was Red Dead Redemption 1. I think the shop is still there yes. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.

[@bridgetburns1193]

Remember my granny telling me, there was a bad book about black magic on the shelf,there was a notice on the book that said,read me do,but believe me not,for if you do hells fires your lot,it scared the wits outta me.😆👹😈

[@TomMcClean]

Hi Bridget. Your granny was a wise one. There are indeed many books even in mainstream bookshops that are not good for anyone to read. Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.

[@bridgetburns1193]

I remember my granny telling me there used to be a bad book about black magic on a shelf, there was a notice on the book that said, read me do but believe me not,for if you do hells fires your lot,it scared the wits outta me.😂👹😈

[@TomMcClean]

Hi Bridget. We should always listen to our grannies advice!