- Kitchen Bar
The Kitchen Bar is a
public house inBelfast ,Northern Ireland . It dates back to 1859 but on30 July 2004 , the original building was demolished to make way for a new shopping centre development.cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/belfast/kitchenbar.shtml|title=Kitchen Bar - Time Please|publisher=BBC Your Place and Mine|accessdate=2007-01-12] The original building was a women's boardinghouse prior to its use as a pub.cite news|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2004/03/07/story495297084.asp|title=Conservationists lose fight to save historic Belfast pub|author=Ros Drinkwater|publisher="The Post"|date=2004-03-07|accessdate=2008-05-17] The former Empire Theatre previously stood next to the pub andactor s from the theatre would drink there, often leaving behindpublicity photographs , which were displayed on the walls. [cite book|title=Ireland|publisher=Lonely Planet|location=London|edition=6th edition|pages=560]Demolition controversy
The original pub's demolition caused considerable controversy, drawing national
newspaper attention.cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/jun/13/northernireland.comment|title=Kitchen confidential|author=Henry McDonald|publisher="The Observer"|date=2004-06-13|accessdate=2008-05-17] [cite news|title=Hell for Belfast's Kitchen|publisher="The People"|date=2004-06-20] [cite news|title=Doomed bar defies bulldozer|publisher="Daily Mirror"|date=2004-06-29]Henry McDonald , writing in "The Observer ", recalled:Last Tuesday I said farewell to The Kitchen in the company of one of my closest friends over a few pints of
Guinness while watching a small playful dog called Bobbie entertain drinkers at the bar by doing high-fives with his paws. In the soulless anti-septic chrome and glass pubs and cafés of the new Belfast there is no room for the likes of wee Bobbie. Her presence would break every health and safety rule in the book. She would blight the trendy post-modern image of neo-bars in Belfast that look more like a DFS show room with their leather sofas and designer lamps than the interior of one of those traditional little corners of escapism for the working man and woman - the good old dog-friendly smoky pub.Rita Harkin of the
Ulster Architectural Heritage Society stated:The demise of this 19th century
theatre bar is deeply infuriating, given the strength and breadth of opposition.What does it take to get the message across? Rare gems like the Kitchen Bar should be viewed as assets.New pub
The Kitchen Bar has moved to a new location on Victoria Square, opposite
Bittle's Bar . It was taken over byBotanic Inns in October 2005. [cite news|url=http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=6&storycode=52732&c=3|title=Proud of your staff: Kitchen Bar, Belfast|author=James Wilmore|publisher="The Publican"|date=2006-08-07|accessdate=2008-05-17] The pub hosts regular live traditional music sessions.References
External links
* [http://www.thekitchenbar.com/index.asp The Kitchen Bar]
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