St. Georges Market, Traders
When you step into St. George’s Market in Belfast, you’re walking into centuries of history. What began back in 1604 as a simple Friday market, held in the open air with no building at all, has grown into one of the city’s most iconic places. The beautiful red-brick hall you see today was started in 1890 and finished six years later — a Victorian treasure still standing proudly in the heart of Belfast.
By 1980, though, rising costs and complicated regulations almost spelled the end for St. George’s Market. The building was closed, its future uncertain. But Belfast isn’t a city that lets its history fade quietly. In 1993, local people and small traders rallied together, campaigning to save the market. With the help of a multi-million-pound restoration project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the old hall was reborn — not just as a market, but as a gathering space for events, music and community.
Today, St. George’s Market is alive and buzzing every weekend. From Friday to Sunday, the air fills with live music and the smells of food from around the world. You can sit down with a hearty local Ulster fry, grab pancakes hot off the griddle, or try Italian, Spanish and Lebanese dishes — all made by the same independent traders and artists who give the market its warmth and soul.
On my latest visit, I wandered through the stalls with my camera, capturing the people who make this place special. In this post, I’m taking you on that little photographic walk with me — to meet some of the traders, hear their stories, and see why St. George’s Market still feels like the beating heart of Belfast after all these years.
