Ulster Hall lighting scheme

The project represents an investment of £170k and will see the installation of a dynamic, colour-changing LED lighting system on the front façade of the Ulster Hall. The resulting scheme is intended to further illuminate the venue’s iconic façade to ensure the building’s Victorian architectural features can be fully appreciated year-round.

The investment, which includes funding from the BID as well as the Department for Communities (through the Belfast Regeneration Directorate’s Revitalisation Programme), will also unlock opportunity for Ulster Hall to light up in different colours for civic celebrations and major cultural events, similar to its sister venue, Waterfront Hall, and Belfast City Hall. The project also aims to boost Bedford Street as a visitor destination and improve community safety during the night.

First opened in 1862, the ‘Grand Dame of Bedford Street,’ as she is affectionately known, is one of the oldest purpose-built concert halls in the UK and Ireland. This grand Victorian building has survived two World Wars and welcomed names as famous and diverse as Charles Dickens and Led Zeppelin. During the Second World War the Ulster Hall became hugely popular as a dance hall and was a big hit with American troops stationed on these shores. Throughout the1940s and 1950s, it became a premier boxing venue with many home-grown champions and international boxing legends stepping into the ring. Since the 1960s, the Ulster Hall has been Northern Ireland’s spiritual home of rock music, hosting an almost endless list of famous names that has included U2, Coldplay, Thin Lizzy, The Clash, The Rolling Stones, Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snow Patrol, Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, The Who, AC/DC and many more.

Following a public procurement process led by Belfast City Council, AH Design and EDS Ltd. have been appointed to design and install the scheme respectively. The contractors will work closely with DfC’s Historic Environment Division to ensure the changes respect the building’s Grade A listed status. With the design of the lighting project underway, the installation is expected to be completed by December. Belfast City Council has also invested £72,000 in the repainting of the building during the Summer to enhance the project.