St George's Market

St George’s Market stands in Belfast, close to the River Lagan and the Waterfront Hall. It is the last Victorian covered market still trading in the city. Before the 1890s the site held an open market with a slaughterhouse and meat stalls. Belfast Corporation built the present structure in three stages between 1890 and 1896. The market was designed by city surveyor JC Bretland in red brick with sandstone dressings. Roman-style arches on the outside carry Latin and Irish mottoes and the Belfast Coat of Arms. The market has served the city through difficult times. During the Second World War it became an emergency mortuary after heavy bombing raids. Around nine hundred people died in the attacks, and 255 bodies were brought to the market for identification. A public funeral for the unclaimed dead followed in April 1941, with separate Catholic and Protestant services before burial. Today the market is a busy trading hall with 300 stalls for food, crafts, music and goods. It also hosts festivals, exhibitions, fashion shoots and live concerts. Acts such as Duffy, Deep Purple and Kasabian have performed there. The building itself was restored in 1999 after a £3.5 million refurbishment. Award-winning and still thriving, it remains a lively part of Belfast life.