Northern Ireland

George Best's refurbished family home to open as tourist attraction

George Best's family home in east Belfast
George Best's family home in east Belfast George Best's family home in east Belfast

George Best's family home is to open to visitors after it was refurbished in the style of the early 1960s.

The house in the Cregagh Estate in east Belfast has been redecorated to reflect how it would have looked in 1961 - the year a 15-year-old Best left home to follow his footballing dreams in Manchester.

The Manchester United legend, regarded as one of football's best-ever players, died in November 2005 at the age of 59 following a long battle with alcoholism.

Visitors to the Best family home can read old school reports and letters a young George sent home to his parents, look at family photos and view images from his footballing career.

George Best grew up in a house on Belfast's Cregagh Estate
George Best grew up in a house on Belfast's Cregagh Estate George Best grew up in a house on Belfast's Cregagh Estate

The house is also available to book for an overnight stay.

Regeneration charity EastSide Partnership bought the house from the Best family in 2011, following his father Dickie Best's death in 2008.

Over the next few weeks, a new audio tour of the house, developed in partnership with George’s sister Barbara McNarry, will be launched.

George Best's family home in east Belfast
George Best's family home in east Belfast George Best's family home in east Belfast

Chris Armstrong, from EastSide Tourism, said the house aims to provide a "fantastic new visitor experience".

"The retro-refurbishment of George Best House will transport visitors back to the sixties to a very special and important time in George’s life," he said.

"This is a unique experience for fans of George Best.

"This project would not have been possible without the support of Tourism NI’s Visitor Experience Development Programme which has enabled us to enhance the visitor experience at the George Best House.”

To book a stay visit www.GeorgeBestHouse.com

George Best's family home in east Belfast is to open to visitors
George Best's family home in east Belfast is to open to visitors George Best's family home in east Belfast is to open to visitors
George Best's family home in east Belfast
George Best's family home in east Belfast George Best's family home in east Belfast