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Cathedral Quarter: Businesses
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ARCADIA CAFE 21 North Street Arcade Belfast BT1 1PA
Tel. 01232 330370
http://freespace.virgin.net/robert.henry/arcadia/
Mark Madden and his wife Deborah opened their business in June 1997, after working and travelling abroad. They had spent much of their time in Vancouver, Canada, and wanted to import the ambience of West Coast cafe society to Northern Ireland. So, their eatery hosts exhibitions, multimedia events and allows poets and songwriters to showcase their work on alternate Thursday evenings. During their first birthday party in June 1998, they saw an interesting altercation between a couple of community policemen and a model dressed only in body paint (she was masquerading as an alien clown, of course), which summarised much of the cafe's unexpected charm. Mark is currently planning to bring in a string quartet for a special event and is known to recite some of his own poetry on the premises. "We hope to relate to the arts and culture of the Cathedral Quarter and to expand with it," he muses.
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Mark and Deborah organise inspiring poetry and music sessions on most Thursday evenings. So do come along and if you would like to take part give him a ring.
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Site Map
What's New
Search
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BELFAST CITY SKINWORKS
24 North Street Arcade
Belfast BT1 1PB Tel 01232 329146
The boss is, naturally enough, tattooed and pierced in abundance. He answers to the name of Skull. He came to the North Street Arcade after he was fire-bombed from his old shop on Wellington Place on Boxing Day 1997. Twelve years of steady trade went up in smoke, including a valued tattoo museum, with artifacts from Japan, New Zealand, America and beyond. Still, the international community of tattoo artists have rallied to his aid, and the new shopfront already features some amazing artifacts from ethnic communities who have made skin-designs a cultural trademark. However, Skull stresses that the shrunken head on display is not the real thing. "The Maoris chiefs asked for all their ancestors' heads to be sent back. Quite right, too". The shop refuses to do political designs, and takes pride in piercing techniques and the local style of Celtic-influenced patterns. "We're pretty respected for the stuff." Watch out for Skull's acting prowess ("I play one of the gunmen") on the movie, Divorcing Jack.
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SAM MURRAY
1 Exchange Place Belfast BT1 2NA Tel: 01232 332160
Sam makes wooden flutes by hand in the Baroque and early Classical style. He sells them to players in Texas, Glasgow, New Zealand, Copenhagen, South Africa and France, as well as sustaining many traditional players in Ireland. His chief materials are boxwood and ebony, and he has built up a stock of vintage timber on the premises to serve his purposes. He has been at the job for 15 years full-time, moving to this area from a converted stable by the docks. His prize lathe was found in a barn in Carrick On Shannon. It dates back to 1806, and like much of the equipment in the workshop, it has a colourful history. Sam is only too aware of the significance of the instrument in this part of the world. "The national instrument for the North Of Ireland - it's the flute."
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Feedback: [email protected]
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