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278:. The latter's presence inside the hotel in the mid-1960s nearly provoked a riot as hundreds of fans gathered in Royal Avenue to catch a glimpse of the bandmembers, who watched the chaotic scene taking place below from the hotel's upper windows. A year after the hotel closed down in 1971, it was converted into a fortified military barracks serving as battalion headquarters for regiments in the
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254:. The site on which it was built by John Robb was originally intended to be a central railway terminus; however, due to hesitation on the part of town councillors, Robb constructed a 200-room luxury hotel instead. The hotel, which first opened its doors on 1 June 1893, became the "social hub of Belfast" and provided a temporary home for many illustrious guests, including King
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due to its economic importance as a commercial zone and the presence of the
British Army military barracks. The barracks itself was bombed many times in the mid-1970s, despite the anti-rocket metal mesh put up to fortify the edifice. Security gates placed at the junction of Royal Avenue and Donegall
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bombarded the city on the night of 15/16 April 1941 in an aerial attack that involved up to 200 bombers and lasted for six and a half hours; many of the buildings sustained considerable damage, although the destruction was much less severe than what was wrought in nearby
Donegall and York streets.
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Beginning from the
Donegall Place junction with Castle Place and Castle Street, which is the hub of Belfast city centre, the road runs north to the North Street crossing where the former Bank of Ireland once stood. A fire in summer of 2018 caused the front part of the building to burn leaving only
389:(UDR) soldiers, James Cummings and Fred Starrett, were killed when a 200-pound remote-controlled IRA bomb, hidden behind hoardings on a construction site, detonated at a Royal Avenue security gate manned by the UDR. The blast caused considerable damage to the area surrounding the bomb site.
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The
Germans returned to bombard the city in another raid on the night of 4/5 May. Royal Avenue was spared from the excessive damage visited upon adjacent streets which were gutted by fire. It is one of the traditional routes used by the
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gang. He was taken from
Library Street, which leads immediately off Royal Avenue at the Central Library. Crossin was walking down the upper part of Library Street towards Royal Avenue when he was hit over the head with a
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of the city. It has been the city's principal shopping thoroughfare since its establishment in 1881. Today Royal Avenue is one of
Belfast's main commercial centres and is home to the £40 million shopping complex
243:. Royal Avenue was established in 1881. Since that time, it has served as Belfast's principal shopping thoroughfare, and today it is lined with many leading department stores and top name shops.
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newspaper. Like the rest of the city centre, Royal Avenue has seen much redevelopment since the
Troubles officially ended in 1998, and the city embarked on a major urban renewal project.
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370:, then dragged into a waiting black taxi where he sustained a vicious beating. He was found, with his throat deeply slashed, in an entry near Bisley Street on the
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47:, Northern Ireland. It runs for about 500 metres from the junction with Castle Place and Donegall Place to the junction with Donegall Street. It lies between the
378:. Crossin, who lived in the Suffolk district of south-west Belfast, had been walking home after spending the evening in the Holy Cross Bowling Club in the
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the back of the building standing. Royal Avenue then angles northeast to the
Donegall Street intersection continuing in a northeasterly direction as
487:. It was established in 1982 through a merger of the Ulster and Reform clubs, but, tracing its roots through the latter organisation back to 1880.
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teenager, Ciara Park, being knocked down and killed. The street has since been partly pedestrianised. Many scenes in the 2011 comedy film
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and the
Haymarket Building, along with newer, modern structures and shopping complexes. At the northern end was the headquarters for the
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on 27 May 1901. The film is extant and shows the street bustling with shoppers, workers, trams, carts, bicycles, and wagons. During the
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The former Grand
Central Hotel, which was converted into a British Army barracks in 1972, was the site of many bombing attacks during
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in early 2012. They since took to referring to the building as the "People's Bank". The group left the building ten months later.
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that were based in Belfast city centre. The former hotel's Bridal Suite became the Army's operational centre for over ten years.
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Shortly after midnight on 25 November 1975, Francis Crossin, a 34-year-old Catholic civilian, was abducted by the notorious
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Place were closed every evening at 6:00 p.m., sealing off the area by what was known locally as a "ring of steel".
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Royal Avenue was yet again attacked by the IRA on 1 January 1993 when an explosive device containing one pound of
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Royal Avenue is one of the main commercial centres in Belfast. Shops currently on the street include branches of
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building at the junction of North Street and Royal Avenue, which was formerly the headquarters of the
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The upper part was formerly named John Street, and the lower part was named Hercules Street after
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On 29 October 1935, Royal Avenue was packed with thousands of mourners as the funeral cortege of
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which was erected in 1869. After its closure in 1989, the building was occupied until 2021 by a
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building, unofficially renamed the "People's Bank" in 2012, is on the North Street intersection.
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Royal Avenue in 2009, looking north, with the former Bank of Ireland in the background. The
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was left inside a hairdresser's salon but the device was successfully defused.
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Occupy Belfast protesters at bank may get a visit from council inspectors
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Occupy Belfast protesters quit building after near-tragedy in street
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468:. The centre occupies the former site of the Grand Central Hotel.
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The Shankill Butchers: the real story of cold-blooded mass murder
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The ornate building at 2 Royal Avenue was the former home of the
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made its way along the street. The road was hit by bombs in the
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in Donegall Street is adjacent to its northern end. It has many
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Around 2008 calls came from certain quarters, including former
440:. Westfield CastleCourt, a major shopping centre owned by the
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into the city centre. The blacklegs had to be escorted by the
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Looking south on Royal Avenue, there is an imposing vista of
374:. Crossin became the first victim of the lethal gang led by
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Latest city centre accident sparks call for pedestrian zone
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Throughout the Troubles, Royal Avenue was targeted by the
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store. It was then refurbished as a social facility by
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area of North Belfast from where his family originated.
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A view of upper Royal Avenue, 2011. On the right is the
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Chartres, John; Henshaw, Bert; Dewar, Michael (1986).
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1901 horse-drawn tram along Royal Avenue, 27 May 1901
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driven by blackleg carters to deliver goods from the
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795:, belfasttelegraph.co.uk; accessed 17 October 2015.
783:, belfasttelegraph.co.uk; accessed 17 October 2015.
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Operation Banner 1969-2007: Deaths – Roll of Honour
246:The city's most prestigious and elegant hotel, the
498:before being left derelict, was taken over by the
645:, operationbanner.com; accessed 17 October 2015.
133:Royal Avenue, 1898, viewed from Castle Junction.
526:as it appeared in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
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483:. Next door at 4 Royal Avenue is located the
305:(RIC) to prevent them from being attacked by
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781:Belfast Building Becomes "The People’s Bank"
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285:Royal Avenue was filmed from a horse-drawn
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707:"10 of Britain's best listed supermarkets"
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227:Learn how and when to remove this message
36:Royal Avenue in 2011, from its lower end.
586:"The Grand Central Hotel, Royal Avenue"
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27:Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
522:were shot in Royal Avenue to recreate
633:, Mainstream Publishing, 2003, p. 160
567:. London: Arms and Armour Press. p.65
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165:adding citations to reliable sources
656:The Long War: The IRA and Sinn Féin
546:"Belfast History Through the Years"
428:, as well as major banks including
595:. Richard Graham. 6 November 2008.
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658:. Dublin: O'Brien Press. p. 263
152:needs additional citations for
1235:1881 establishments in Ireland
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620:. New York: Routledge. p. 55
53:Smithfield and Union Quarter
43:is a street in the heart of
668:List of Castle Court stores
605:Sutton Index of Deaths 1975
438:Nationwide Building Society
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565:Northern Ireland Scrapbook
473:Provincial Bank of Ireland
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858:Roads in Northern Ireland
654:O'Brien, Brendan (1995).
111:buildings, including the
591:13 February 2012 at the
385:On 24 February 1988 two
303:Royal Irish Constabulary
291:1907 Belfast Dock strike
616:Dillon, Martin (1989).
387:Ulster Defence Regiment
176:"Royal Avenue, Belfast"
113:Belfast Central Library
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260:Sir Winston Churchill
252:Westfield CastleCourt
241:Sir Hercules Langford
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58:Westfield CastleCourt
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737:Belfast City Council
681:"1869 - Former Bank"
481:Belfast City Council
161:improve this article
101:St. Anne's Cathedral
1245:Avenues (landscape)
713:. 30 September 2015
687:. 23 September 2009
248:Grand Central Hotel
45:Belfast city centre
1240:Streets in Belfast
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1164:Lisburn Road
1134:Crumlin Road
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159:Please help
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897:M22
892:M12
163:by
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