How to Get to Heaven from Belfast

By Carmen Gray

I’m sure everyone reading this has been enjoying a couple of new additions to Belfast; particularly in the area surrounding Queen’s University! After suffering so long, the city truly deserves something wonderful – and in this tough time (sadly our beloved peace mediator is getting eye surgery) – we really needed a pick-me-up!

In societies as uncertain and delicate as ours, safe spaces are essential. When the world feels unfamiliar, society demands need a safe and consistent oasis. Somewhere you can trust to be the same time and time again.

Fear not. Unread, dusty books, exposed brick and natural wood will whisk you away to what we in Belfast call our very own heaven. What I am referencing, of course, are the two additional Caffe Nero’s within the Queen’s campus. ‘Hope’ café; the last-standing echoes of a local, charity-focused chain; has thankfully after 20 years been replaced with our latest iteration of paradise.

If you too want to benefit from Belfast’s own heaven, please attend to one of the pearly gates within a 20-ish minute walk of Queen’s listed below:

Lisburn Road, Lisburn Road (smaller gate), Botanic Avenue, University Road, Ormeau Avenue (who needs limelight?), Ormeau Road, Chichester Street, Ann Street, Fountain Centre, Castle Lane, Donegal Square, Royal Avenue, Victoria Square, Lanyon Place

And newly added!:

Elmwood Avenue, McClay Library