Cleaner District

In August 2018, the BID commissioned a Clean Team to provide an enhanced cleaning service to improve and maintain our district. This service is designed to build on existing council services, tackling many of the environmental issues our organisations face. Our operatives are highly skilled in street cleaning, waste disposal, sharps, and graffiti removal. They can also carry out additional jobs such as weeding, painting and gum removal upon request.

The Clean Team work to a detailed weekly schedule. This is comprised of our own suggestions and observations, as well as requests from our members. It should be noted that Council services are only responsible for public pavements. They will not always clean the strip of land around buildings, including private doorways.
In addition, the team complete more intensive shifts on a quarterly basis. This work is usually done during the night which gives a better opportunity to clean our busiest streets and hospitality venues.
During the pandemic, the Clean Team continued to support the Linen Quarter. As well as street washing and litter removal, they monitored the numerous vacant buildings and were tasked with reporting any suspicious behaviour or signs of vandalism.

The Council is not responsible for the removal of graffiti from buildings. If the Linen Quarter Clean Team were not in place, many jobs would simply not get done, and the District would be in a worse state as a result.
Our operatives are trained in how to remove (or fade) the graffiti without damaging the surface or stonework, using the appropriate chemicals or a washer depending on the nature of the building.
The ‘before and after’ photographs show how the LQ Clean Team are working to make the district more vibrant and appealing. We monitor the area closely and report new incidences to the Clean Team and Street Beat.

Flax Fields

In 2018, the LQ BID funded Flax Fields on Bedford Street. This vibrant feature provides social space for professionals but also an additional waste facility. The planters are cleaned and maintained by our Clean Team, who also ensure the bin is emptied on a regular basis.

In 2020, LQ BID commissioned a professional cleaning service for the Thomas Thompson Fountain, Ormeau Avenue. The Team carried out intensive street washing in the surrounding areas and continue to be responsible for keeping the feature clean and addressing litter in the bushes.

The Clean Team carried out a deep clean of the wall on Bruce Street to improve its appearance. The team spent a considerable amount of time tackling years of grime and neglect and well as removing waste from the car park. They continue to monitor this area, carrying out litter and graffiti removal.

Our Clean Team have painted various planters and features to keep the LQ looking bright and vibrant. They have painted signage on the planters on Linenhall Street and we are planning to carry out further enhancements.

Broken glass, cigarette butts, food packaging and hazardous waste are just a few of the items removed by the Clean Team on a weekly basis. The team will carry out litter collection at least once a week but have also completed more intensive projects in Blackstaff Square, Bankmore Square, Bedford Street and Great Victoria Street.

Belfast City Council have several reporting channels to raise issues such as litter and street washing. We are happy to advocate for our members and save you time, so if you have any street cleansing issues to report, please contact charlotte@linenquarter.org. We can raise it on your behalf through the appropriate channels and keep you updated on the progress.

If you have any feedback or requests for our Clean Team, please contact charlotte@linenquarter.org. Whilst this is not an emergency or on-call service, we are always looking for feedback and suggestions from members. We would also like to hear from you if you notice any new graffiti around your premises. We can then address it with our Clean Team, and report it through our Enhanced Policing Service, Street Beat.