Moving to Belfast Megathread

pow wow · 17-09-2010 7:50pm #1

Welcome to the Moving to Belfast megathread!

Given the amount of threads about considering moving/in the process of moving/I just moved to Belfast it seems easier to keep them in the one place. For now we'll leave the repetitive answers (i.e. where threads have been merged and the same advice has been given on each thread) as an information source.

So, if you have questions etc. about moving to Belfast please use this thread!

Helpful Links:

Jobhunting
www.nijobfinder.co.uk
www.nijobs.com
www.jobcentreonline.co.uk
www.communityni.org/careers/jobs (for charitable and community jobs)

Househunting
www.propertynews.com
www.daft.ie
www.spareroom.co.uk
http://belfast.gumtree.com

lisa_celtic · 22-12-2010 10:37pm

Hi All..

Just looking for some advice, I'm 23 female from Tipperary, fairly sick of the recession and all that and plan on moving up to Belfast in Feb with the aim of finding work. I have a degree in business and a lot of sales assistant experience so should not be hard to get some type of work please god. But what I want to know is there really work up there or are they in the same mess as we are down here with so many applicants for minimum wage jobs? also where would you recommend living? How much would I need to start up deposits etc.

Hope I'm posting in the right place!

Lisa :pac:

magooly · 23-12-2010 2:29am

Lisa,

Im not too sure about retail jobs, everywhere is taking a beating right now. All the UK high street stores are here, some large dept stores and some major International companies here that your Business degree may suit. They will be starting their grad programs in Feb.

Living wise, stick to BT1, BT7, BT9 thats the city centre, Ormeau rd or Lisburn rd (short bus trips) up around the Uni, a lot of student bars, and restaurants about and a good vibe. The city centre will set you back between 300-450 sharing an apt, where as the others should be <300. So double that to include your deposit. There are some very large houses up those roads, sharing there is a great way to meet people, and a bus will run you into town in 15 mins. gumtree.co.uk for sharing ads.

Youll want to Register for a social security number, the office is on Great Victoria St. and open a UK bank a/c. (Northern bank were the most straight forward).

I moved up from Cork 6 months ago and really enjoying it.
Best of luck,
PM if youve any qs.

pow wow · 23-12-2010 11:22am

Things aren't as bad as they are down south but things aren't as great as they used to be. With the abundance of students in town retail type stuff is usually snapped up pretty quick but there's a buoyant market for office staff (temp and perm) if that's a direction you'd consider going in. The NI equivalent to the FAS site is here and if you want to go the agency route there's plenty to choose from (I found Apple Recruitment very good for temp work, I'm sure the others are fine too!). Most agencies and employers won't consider you unless you're actually living in NI i.e. have an NI address on your CV - when I was moving up from Cork no matter how much I stressed in my cover letter my arrival was imminent I didn't get one single call back. Once I'd moved I had temp work within a few days.

Housing-wise a ballpark figure for a decent enough room in a nice house would be about £200 a month - you'd need a deposit and potentially 1 month's rent upfront so you're talking £400. Another idea if you're heading up and you're not sure you'll like it is a short-term houseshare which you often see advertised on Gumtree Belfast.

Other than that I can't recommend Belfast enough - great, vibrant, cosmopolitan city with plenty of accents you'll recognise from home mixed in with the locals. Really really great place to live and the people are great.

Cavehill Red · 23-12-2010 11:35am

magooly wrote: »

L
Living wise, stick to BT1, BT7, BT9 thats the city centre, Ormeau rd or Lisburn rd (short bus trips) up around the Uni,

Would have to disagree with this advice.
Belfast is a very compact city and very easy to get around. And rents in those areas are heavily overpriced, due to students, non-nationals, nurses competing with locals for places.
Furthermore, BT9 actually goes quite a way out of the city and being considered Belfast's D4, rents are horrendous and most people drive, so there isn't that great a public transport system if you're not on the suburban rail line. And many part of both the Ormeau and the Lisburn Road areas are frankly not that safe for someone with a Southern accent (the Village, Windsor, Ormeau above Delhi St, etc).
Avoid East Belfast, and the ghettos in North or West Belfast and you'll get somewhere grand to live, no more than 20 minutes from the city centre for a fraction of the cost of the Lisburn Road or Stranmillis, and likely quieter and safer too.

lisa_celtic · 23-12-2010 1:10pm

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Would have to disagree with this advice.
Belfast is a very compact city and very easy to get around. And rents in those areas are heavily overpriced, due to students, non-nationals, nurses competing with locals for places.
Furthermore, BT9 actually goes quite a way out of the city and being considered Belfast's D4, rents are horrendous and most people drive, so there isn't that great a public transport system if you're not on the suburban rail line. And many part of both the Ormeau and the Lisburn Road areas are frankly not that safe for someone with a Southern accent (the Village, Windsor, Ormeau above Delhi St, etc).
Avoid East Belfast, and the ghettos in North or West Belfast and you'll get somewhere grand to live, no more than 20 minutes from the city centre for a fraction of the cost of the Lisburn Road or Stranmillis, and likely quieter and safer too.

This is what I was worrying about fitting in with such a country accent! Is it safe to apply for Jobs in diffrent areas or do people even care?

The general plan is to be up the first week in Feb if I havnt accomadation I will stay in a hostel until I get sorted, really want to make this work!

Cavehill Red · 23-12-2010 2:00pm

You shouldn't have a problem at work. Maybe the very rare bit of stand-offishness from some bigoted types at worst.
The issue is more where you live. Things are a bit more fluid now, but there are still those who don't like 'themmuns' living among them. As a woman you're less likely to face hassle, though. And I've always found Belfast a much safer city than Dublin, for all its troubles.

pow wow · 23-12-2010 3:21pm

Cavehill Red wrote: »

You shouldn't have a problem at work. Maybe the very rare bit of stand-offishness from some bigoted types at worst.
The issue is more where you live. Things are a bit more fluid now, but there are still those who don't like 'themmuns' living among them. As a woman you're less likely to face hassle, though. And I've always found Belfast a much safer city than Dublin, for all its troubles.

+1. I have to say though I lived in East Belfast and loved it! Never encountered an ounce of hassle from people at work or at home.

Cavehill Red · 23-12-2010 3:41pm

Depends where in East Belfast, though!
The likes of the lower Ravenhill might have gentrified, and out towards Belmont and Stormont was always very middle class (though my family were burnt out of there in the Seventies.)
And as you head out of town past the end of the Holywood Road towards Bangor, you're talking affluence city.
But to be honest, you couldn't induce me to live anywhere near the Oval, the lower Newtownards Road, Castlereagh, Cregagh Road or anywhere near the Ulster Hospital for a pension.
And I certainly wouldn't recommend it to someone with a Southern accent. Nothing wrong with most of the locals in any of those places. But it only takes one bigot to make life a misery.

lisa_celtic · 23-12-2010 8:00pm

Thanks for the advice lads! I can't wait to go on this new adventure!! I'm sure it will be hard enough at the start but will be worth it!! Any places to drink eat make friends? any advice? Ohhh I just cant wait!!

Cavehill Red · 23-12-2010 9:08pm

You'll have a ball. It's a very friendly city. A little blunt, not unlike Glasgow or Manchester or Limerick, but very friendly. It lacks the pretentiousness that plagues Dublin.
For a young wan like yourself, there's plenty of good nightlife in the city centre these days. The golden mile gets the tourists, but from Shaftesbury Square southwards, it's mostly young locals and students.
There's loads of nice restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and bars in the Botanic Avenue/University Street area. The Cathedral quarter by the Belfast Telegraph offices is pretty buzzing too. Lisburn Road is known for its chic boutiques and trendy bars and cafes.
There are plenty of cinemas, including one multiplex on the Dublin Road right in the centre of town. And many of the suburbs have their own swimming pool/gym run by the council, so keeping fit is a lot cheaper.
Most top bands that play Dublin tend to play Belfast too. Usually the Odyssey or the King's Hall in Balmoral.
Everything up there is a lot cheaper, to be honest. So don't be too shocked by the wages. They're lower than the South, but the cost of living is much less.

More info here:

http://belfastnightlife.blogspot.com/
http://www.gotobelfast.com/what_to_do/pubs__clubs/night_clubs.aspx
http://www.mybelfast.co.uk/

El Siglo · 23-12-2010 9:10pm

We should probably organise a Belfast Beers soon. I've been here (well back in Laois for Christmas) since the start of October, it might be good to know others who are still getting used to the place. Although, after three months, I much prefer to Dublin. The Continental Market sealed the deal for me!;)

RuggieBear · 23-12-2010 9:18pm

Cavehill Red wrote: »

And as you head out of town past the end of the Holywood Road towards Bangor, you're talking affluence city.

left D4 and moved to BT18 myself...10mins on train into belfast and only £9 taxi on the late nights:D

couldn't recommend it enough but might be a little staid if you are young. lol

magooly · 23-12-2010 9:28pm

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Avoid East Belfast, and the ghettos in North or West Belfast and you'll get somewhere grand to live, no more than 20 minutes from the city centre for a fraction of the cost of the Lisburn Road or Stranmillis, and likely quieter and safer too.

mmmm...so thats North, South, East and West ruled out then?

Well when I was house-hunting I got the same advice from several of my workmates who are from Belfast: Stick to city centre, Ormeau or Lisburn roads avoiding East, West and the area around the hospital between Lisburn rd and the M1 which is predominantly protestant where your accent may not go down too well.

At 23 I guess you would like somewhere lively near plenty of other young people, to me thats the area around Queens. (Avoid the Holylands, the couple of blocks between Stranmillis embankment and Univ avenue as this is dominated by students, the housing is **** quality and you are unlikely to get much sleep).

For what its worth I have a strong southern accent, drive an Irish car and have never had any grief from anyone. I find the people very open and friendly, good pubs and good nightlife.

magooly · 23-12-2010 9:36pm

El Siglo wrote: »

We should probably organise a Belfast Beers soon.

would be up for this!

lisa_celtic · 23-12-2010 9:50pm

A beers would be cool to get to know people, I'd find it fairly hard going out on my own so as many friends as possible wanted!

What do ye think of this location as a starting point book in for a week when im lookin for a house?

http://ryanair.hostelworld.com/property.php?HostelNumber=45865

El Siglo · 23-12-2010 11:15pm

lisa_celtic wrote: »

A beers would be cool to get to know people, I'd find it fairly hard going out on my own so as many friends as possible wanted!

What do ye think of this location as a starting point book in for a week when im lookin for a house?

http://ryanair.hostelworld.com/property.php?HostelNumber=45865

Yeh Malone Rd. is grand so it is, very handy for looking for places in south Belfast.

Cavehill Red · 23-12-2010 11:53pm

magooly wrote: »

mmmm...so thats North, South, East and West ruled out then?

Not at all. South's expensive but pleasant and largely middle class and mixed.
East is significantly loyalist. Some parts are lovely, but there are many I wouldn't recommend someone with an accent from the Republic to live, and I say that as someone born in East Belfast with friends everywhere from Ballybeen to the Cregagh. Painted kerbstones, of whatever colours, are usually a bad sign, as are terrorism-related murals, paramilitary graffiti or pubs with grills on the windows.
Most of the West and North aren't ghettos. But there are some ghettos in both, and they're best avoided as are peaceline areas.
Some of the nicest parts of town are in North and West Belfast. Black Mountain, the Cavehill, Upper Antrim Road - all lovely areas, and all well cheap compared to some two-up, two down in Stranmillis or some rowdy terrace next to pissed up Queens students in the Holy Lands.

lisa_celtic · 24-12-2010 12:16am

Lol all this information is so confusing! hehe

I have been to Belfast a few times and I quite liked the pubs in the west near casment park and that but is that a nice area to live?

Also when lookin at Ormeau Rd is there a division there with loyalist nationalist? want to get this right

Cavehill Red · 24-12-2010 12:26am

Wouldn't say it was the best part of town near Casement. A wee bit close to the Village. Bit of trouble not too far from there every 12th of July.
Further away from the motorway would be better. The Glen Road/Upper Falls for example. Andytown is grand too, but probably a bit quiet for a younger person.
As for the Ormeau, about four or five streets beyond the river, it goes from Catholic to mixed near the bakery to loyalist-lite up by Ballynafeigh.
Ormeau has seen trouble in the past, but below the bridge it's pretty studenty these days.
I used to live on North Parade, which was a great part of town. Mind you the houses are massive, there were seven of us in it.
Towards the river from there you have the bit of the Holylands south of the Lagan around Delhi Street. It's much quieter than the heart of darkness around Palestine Street. Far fewer Queens nobs in Gaa shirts pissed up in the street all night. And you'd be handy to town and the lagan embankment.

lisa_celtic · 24-12-2010 12:43am

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Wouldn't say it was the best part of town near Casement. A wee bit close to the Village. Bit of trouble not too far from there every 12th of July.
Further away from the motorway would be better. The Glen Road/Upper Falls for example. Andytown is grand too, but probably a bit quiet for a younger person.
As for the Ormeau, about four or five streets beyond the river, it goes from Catholic to mixed near the bakery to loyalist-lite up by Ballynafeigh.
Ormeau has seen trouble in the past, but below the bridge it's pretty studenty these days.
I used to live on North Parade, which was a great part of town. Mind you the houses are massive, there were seven of us in it.
Towards the river from there you have the bit of the Holylands south of the Lagan around Delhi Street. It's much quieter than the heart of darkness around Palestine Street. Far fewer Queens nobs in Gaa shirts pissed up in the street all night. And you'd be handy to town and the lagan embankment.

thats so helpful thanks!

all im looking for is some where I will feel safe hopefully near a bus line and shops and I'l be a happy camper!

aquascrotum · 24-12-2010 3:27pm

Just to add my tuppenceworth - I disagree with Cavehill on the Ormeau, its mixed and increasingly studenty / young professionals pretty much from the river the whole way to where it gets posh beyond Ravenhill roundabout.

Also disagree with the assessment of Cregagh - certainly to the east of Cregagh road would be grand, everything round Ardenlee is totally mixed. Heading across the way towards Castlereagh gets a bit more finicky.

To the OP - go to where you feel comfortable in the city. The thing my gf struggled to comprehend when she came up from dub was that you can have a crackingly nice mixed spot where you wouldnt hear boo to a goose, thats 2 streets over from a ghetto - and 2 streets beyond that you can be back into middle class suburbian bliss. She was nervous about Rosetta for a while because it backs onto a council estate type development, but she's come to see it differently now. Its a different way to Dublin and other places where you have vast swathes of niceness and then other vast swathes of Ballymun-ness kept out of sight and at arms stretch.

In terms of accents, in my gfs experience it hasn't been a problem, if anything its been something she gets the piss ripped out of as a conversation starter. An accent isn't political - though it goes without saying that if you want to come up and dander round in gaa tops or celtic shirts then you'd be better in north or west Belfast.

Welcome to Norn Iron and Belfast btw - hope everything works out for you.

Cavehill Red · 25-12-2010 8:19pm

Ormeau at Ballynafeigh -

Cregagh -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34475029@N07/3221298320

El Siglo · 26-12-2010 12:57pm

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Ormeau at Ballynafeigh -

Cregagh -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34475029@N07/3221298320

If you keep walking and across the road is the pavilion, nice pub so it is. Tesco is also down that way as well I think.

Paul4As · 28-12-2010 11:17am

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Ormeau at Ballynafeigh -

Cregagh -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34475029@N07/3221298320

Do you do Belfast tours Cavehill Red? Maybe you could take people on this forum in to Catholic areas where there are Nationalist flags and terrorist Republican murals as well!
All part of the checkered history of Northern Ireland that attracts tens of thousands of tourists every year!

aquascrotum · 29-12-2010 12:10am

Cavehill Red wrote: »

Ormeau at Ballynafeigh -

Cregagh -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34475029@N07/3221298320

Ballynafeigh is one building and as with much of Belfast these days, not representative of the surrounding population. As Paul4As stated, the Pav is a mixed bar and is across the street. The Errigle is another mixed bar and is also just across the street.

The Cregagh mural is at the bottom end of the road nearest Castlereagh. Anywhere up towards Rosetta and west towards Ardenlee is nothing like this.

As stated in my original post, it isn't possible to "classify" a street off a 2 mile road based on a mural on the gable of a building a couple of streets across.

neilk · 01-01-2011 2:08am

And if you don't like the Pavillion you can try the Errigle, we watched the All-Ireland Final there this year (poor Down). That building stands out like a sore thumb and is completely unrepresentative of the Ormeau Road, and I say that as someone who has lived on or near it for 30 years.

Parts of East Belfast are great, including the inner-city terraced type bits. As a previous poster said you can have one dodgy street and 3 streets which are quiet right beside each other. You'll have to spend a wee bit of time looking about the place.

mikemac · 01-01-2011 2:20am

Cavehill Red wrote: »

But to be honest, you couldn't induce me to live anywhere near the Oval, the lower Newtownards Road, Castlereagh, Cregagh Road or anywhere near the Ulster Hospital for a pension.
And I certainly wouldn't recommend it to someone with a Southern accent.

I moved from Galway to a terraced street Loopland Drive between Cregagh Rd and Castlereagh Rd. Great location due to bus service and lots of local shops.

People were lovely, I felt safer in Belfast then I ever did in Galway or Dublin

And there was no disguising my Southern accent
One day I parked our TN reg car on Sandy Row and stupidly left it unlocked. Untouched when I got back after work, I was blessed. Don't do this OP

Belfast is a very compact city and is easily walkable, I mostly walked into the city centre every morning and felt safe walking home from the pub.

Having said all that..........I only drank in the city centre or the student areas. I never went into a pub in East Belfast. No doubt it would have been fine but I just didn't

El Siglo · 01-01-2011 11:25pm

aquascrotum wrote: »

Ballynafeigh is one building and as with much of Belfast these days, not representative of the surrounding population. As Paul4As stated, the Pav is a mixed bar and is across the street. The Errigle is another mixed bar and is also just across the street.

The Cregagh mural is at the bottom end of the road nearest Castlereagh. Anywhere up towards Rosetta and west towards Ardenlee is nothing like this.

As stated in my original post, it isn't possible to "classify" a street off a 2 mile road based on a mural on the gable of a building a couple of streets across.

Not trying to be a knob (just a bit "hung-to-the-over" at present, so forgive me;)) I think I said that;

El Siglo wrote:

If you keep walking and across the road is the pavilion, nice pub so it is. Tesco is also down that way as well I think.

I totally agree, no area is totally homogeneous. Sure if you walk towards the bridge side of the Ormeau Rd. you'll come across a Sinn Fein office and the Hatfield (the new Renshaws!).:D

Angelandie · 09-01-2011 9:00pm

Moved to Belfast from Galway last Feb and have never had a problem. We live near the odyssey and its technically East Belfast but we live in an apartment complex with a variety of nationalities. We have our Irish reg car with us and have never had an issue when leaving it parked up somewhere.
When we looked for somewhere to live, we used Google street view and anywhere we could see a flag regardless of what one, we avoided! Less issues that way

Belfast people are really friendly and you shouldn't have any issues due to your accent!

Also Belfast beers would be great :-)

Bottle_of_Smoke · 14-01-2011 9:45pm

If you're looking to meet people go to a pub called Kelly's Cellars. F*cking friendliest place on earth! And if you like you're Guinness it is genuinely second to none - like drinking a milkshake

Moving to Belfast Megathread

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