News

Holylands residents plan alcohol-free festival on St Patrick's Day

A police presence in the Holyands area of south Belfast during St Patrick's Day earlier this year
A police presence in the Holyands area of south Belfast during St Patrick's Day earlier this year A police presence in the Holyands area of south Belfast during St Patrick's Day earlier this year

HOLYLANDS residents are planning to hold an alcohol-free street festival in a bid to combat problems with youths drinking on St Patrick's Day.

It's proposed the mainly student area in south Belfast would offer a host of theatre and art activities on March 17 next year, in a similar style to the city's successful Culture Night.

A private security company would also be hired to manage sealed-off streets and confiscate any alcohol under the plans.

Residents say they have applied for up to £10,000 of council funding to hold the day-time event next year.

It would run alongside a new action plan for St Patrick's being drawn up by several agencies including Belfast City Council, the PSNI and the universities.

Measures include preventing busloads of people coming into the area on the holiday and more powers to confiscate alcohol.

The efforts follow disturbances in the Holylands as hundreds gathered on St Patrick's earlier this year, with one PSNI officer injured when bottles were thrown at police.

Holylands resident Brid Ruddy, chair of the College Park Avenue Residents' Association, said they want to "move away from this St Patrick's Day 'paddywackery'".

"Our focus is celebrating the community, bringing people in the community together, welcoming everyone who wants to participate in a positive way," she said.

"But people who want to engage in on-street drinking, just stay away – you're not welcome."

She said "there will be no alcohol" involved in the proposed event, citing current laws against street drinking in the area.

"It depends on funding. We're applying to city council for the funding," she said.

"It's about making a change in the community to a more family-orientated and multicultural community."

Ms Ruddy said they would hope to hire private security and use student volunteers to manage the event, rather than police.

She said a smaller street event on Rugby Avenue previously held by residents was successful.

"We were actually taken aback as to how well it worked. We had private security confiscating drink from people and it wasn't a problem. However, when you put a police officer there, there's a riot," she said.

The plans also include opening to the general public a Holylands community garden called Wildflower Alley.

Ms Ruddy said they hope to find out later this year whether they have received funding.

However, she added that their proposals would require statutory agencies to "step up to the mark" to address street drinking.

Meanwhile, a South Belfast MLA has expressed concern over household rubbish piled up in Holylands alleyways where there are recently-vacated rental properties.

The Green Party's Clare Bailey said every year after students have left residents face the "dumping of sofas, lampshades, beds and mattresses on the streets".

She said it "costs Belfast City Council time and money" and "is unacceptable when there are recycling facilities nearby".