Issue 178 - Belfast BT6 • BT7 • BT8
Announced changes to bus and train timetables
From early July as well as some bus stop changes in Belfast City Centre.
(Back l-r) Ian Wilson, Grand Opera House Chief Executive, Jonathan Martindale, Director of Business Development at Phoenix Energy and Trevor Price, Magician (front).
Grand Opera House raises curtain for Grand Family Festival
Belfast’s Grand Opera House has launched its Grand Family Festival in partnership with Phoenix Energy, which will run from Monday 19 to Saturday 24 August 2024. Tickets are now on sale for the fun-filled festival, which will see the Theatre open its doors for a week-long celebration of theatre and the arts with 25 unmissable workshops, activities and events suitable for children and families. Ian Wilson, Grand Opera House Chief Executive said:
“The Grand Family Festival offers a range of activities guaranteed to entertain, educate, engage, and inspire, and we are delighted to partner with Phoenix Energy to deliver a week of excitement and entertainment for the whole family to get involved in. “There’s a broad variety of workshops and creative activities across the week,
including magic and puppetry, family ballet and Bollywood Baba dance classes, creative writing and ‘play in a day’ workshops, as well as family-focussed tours and technical classes in stage sound and lighting. “There will also be a special Access Day which will include Theatre tours for people with additional sensory or physical needs,
children’s workshops for those with a hearing impairment, and sensory play sessions.” Speaking about the new collaboration with the Theatre, Jonathan Martindale, Director of Business Development at Phoenix Energy said:
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These changes are being introduced to ensure people can continue to move into and around Belfast. as significant public realm improvement works to enhance walking routes, accessibility and cycling around the new Belfast Grand Central Station and rail infrastructure works intensify. Passengers are being encouraged to plan their trip ahead of time using information on the website www.translink.co.uk or Journey Planner and allow extra time for their journey. From Monday 1st July, adjustments will be made to some city centre bus stops with relocation of some Ulsterbus services to Laganside Buscentre to help maintain bus service reliability and performance during increased traffic pressures on the city centre network. Passenger Information will be displayed on impacted bus stops and is available on the website www.translink.
co.uk. Essential engineering works take place on the railway line between Belfast and Lisburn, with a line closure planned from Wednesday 3rd July until early autumn. Train services from Lanyon Place to Lisburn stations will be affected. These works are essential to complete the rail infrastructure works and all the safety testing, commissioning and training that must be completed to enable the opening of the world class facility. Express bus substitutions will be in operation between Belfast and Lisburn. Passengers using the Lisburn Line stations will need to use the regular scheduled Metro and Ulsterbus Lisburn Road services. Valid rail tickets will be valid on these services. Further details on Belfast Grand Station and the works programme can be found here: www.translink.co.uk/bgcs