BELFAST INSIDER
What’s the craic Belfast 👋
There's something lovely about a city that keeps giving you new reasons to love it.
Sometimes it's a moment that makes you proud to call this place home; other times, it's discovering somewhere that's been right under your nose for years.
Either way, there's always a little more to Belfast than meets the eye
THE DIGEST: Belfast in Brief
Only the good news, promise.
🎄 Belfast Christmas Market is here for Local Businesses
It’s almost that time of year again, when Belfast City Hall lights up for Christmas and the famous Christmas Market returns.
But beyond the festive cheer, the market has plenty in store for local traders. More than half of this year’s stalls are expected to feature local businesses, giving them a chance to showcase their products to the crowds and welcome new customers.
The market opens on 14 November, with its future potentially stretching beyond City Hall as expansion is explored for 2027.
💬 What’s your favourite thing to discover at Belfast Christmas Market?
🔌 Small Businesses Struggle with Rising Energy Costs
For some small businesses in Northern Ireland, keeping the lights on is becoming a financial strain. Owners are falling into debt, cutting back operations and putting investment on hold just to manage their energy bills. For some, the pressure is taking a toll on their mental health, too.
The Utility Regulator has published research into the lived experiences of businesses facing energy stress, with 42 businesses sharing how rising costs are affecting their finances, wellbeing and confidence in the future.
Although the findings do not represent all small businesses in Northern Ireland, they are helping to develop a new Code of Practice aimed at helping businesses struggling to foot and manage their energy bills.
💬 If you run a small business, how are rising energy costs affecting you?
📞 Northern Ireland is switching off its analogue telephone network
Who would have thought the day would come when Northern Ireland would begin saying goodbye to its traditional analogue telephone network? But the switch-off is approaching, and around 35,000 customers still need to move to digital services before 31 January 2027.
The change goes beyond making phone calls. Medical alarms, CCTV systems, card payment terminals and even emergency phones in lifts may rely on the old connections, meaning some equipment could need upgrading before the deadline.
Landlines aren’t disappearing, but the technology behind them is changing, and it’s worth checking what else depends on yours before the switch happens.
💬 Have you already made the switch, or is this news to you?
🏪 LOCAL BUSINESS SCOOP
Openings, Closures & Buzz Around Town
🍻 Meet The Side Bar, The Garrick's new sibling
The Garrick is already a familiar name in Belfast. Now, the family behind the city-centre pub is adding another spot to the mix, and it opens this Friday!
Here's the most exciting part, the new bar and restaurant will also create 20 jobs. The family has run The Garrick for two decades, so they sure know a thing or two about keeping a Belfast pub going.
💬 Have you ever visited The Garrick? How was your experience?
🍕 Belfast pizza is making waves in America
What's better than being named Northern Ireland’s Best Takeaway at the 2026 Just Eat Awards? Bagging a place among America’s top pepperoni pizzas just weeks later!
Ciaran Kelly, founder of Pizza Crew, has emerged fifth place at the Great American Pizza Challenge, under the Best Pepperoni Slice category. He bagged this achievement after competing against pizza makers from America and beyond.
Beyond his achievement, Ciaran clearly has a heart for the people. After winning the Just Eat award, Ciaran shared the £5,000 prize with his staff and donated £2,500 to the Daisy 200 Challenge, which raised funds for Cancer Fund for Children.
💬 Have you tried Pizza Crew yet?
🍺 Want your business featured? [Get in touch →]
Your Weekend Lineup
🎟️ WHAT’S HAPPENING:
Belfast, your next few days are looking busy! Whether you’ve got your plans sorted or you’re still deciding what to get up to this week, there’s plenty happening around the city.
So, have a look and pick your next outing:
Thursday 22 October
Friday 23 October
Saturday 24 October
Sunday 25 October
Monday 26 October
Tuesday 27 October
Wednesday 28 October
💛 COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
💬 A Belfast entrepreneur is creating a safe space for men to talk
When was the last time you saw a space where men could talk openly about anything without feeling judged?
The good news is that Tiarnan McCarthy is creating such an atmosphere with Redefining the Alpha. His business is helping working-class men and boys explore everything from emotional regulation and physical wellbeing to self-leadership and healthier relationships.
It doesn't end there; his idea has just earned him £1,000 after winning the Belfast heat of Go Succeed’s The Ultimate Pitch competition. Next stop is the regional final on 18 November, where he’ll pitch for a further £5,000 to grow the business.
💬 Would you visit a space like Redefining the Alpha?
Foodie Finds 🍴
🍟 West Belfast, you’ve been keeping this chippy to yourselves!
If you know, you know. The Kelstar on Blacks Road has been serving West Belfast for over 50 years, and Epic Day went in to see what makes it a local favourite.
The star of the show? Those taco chips topped with freshly grated cheese and taco sauce. Then there’s the southern-fried chicken supper with the much-talked-about pepper sauce.
If Friday night means chippy night in your house, this one might deserve a spot on your list.
💬 What’s your go-to order when you visit The Kelstar?
@that_bag_of_noodles Easily one of the best chippy in belfast! A staple diet of Northern Ireland is the chippy and there no denying that Kelstar is top tier at... See more
📸As Spotted
🎨 The Belfast Pub Portrait That Has the Internet excited
Some pub stories stay with your mates. This one made it to hundreds of thousands of people online.
Artist Geraldine Sawyer was sketching inside The Sunflower Public House when a group of friends spotted her and asked if she could draw them instead.
She agreed, and what began with a simple request has become a viral moment, with the group loving the finished portrait so much that they later hung it up at work. Footage of their excited reaction has since racked up hundreds of thousands of views on Instagram and TikTok.
💬 If an artist offered to draw your group on a night out, would you say yes?
@gertiesoybean Drawing the Sunflower Public House in Belfast made my visit that much more interesting because I got to meet the locals who worked across ... See more
🗳️ POLL OF THE WEEK
💬 YOUR VOICE
Spotted a new opening, a local business worth supporting or a community story we should know about?
Reply to this email and send it our way. A name, a link and why it caught your attention is plenty to get us started.
You might see it in a future edition.
💛 One last thing before you go...
Found something you’d like to try on here? Forward this edition to the person you’d take with you.
And if you go, reply and tell us how it was. Your discoveries help shape what we share next.
See you next week.
💛 Team Belfast Insider