Bangor by the Sea

𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗢𝗡 • 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗘
It is now one full year since construction began on the new Marine Gardens at Queen’s Parade, with work getting underway on 5 September 2025.

Back then, the long Queen’s Parade surface car park still dominated the waterfront, the McKee Clock sat in its familiar surroundings, and the old promenade, acres of tarmac and three dilapidated water features were still in place.

A year later, the site is unrecognisable.

Much of the work has happened beneath the surface, with new drainage and sewer systems, piling, groundworks and the reuse of thousands of tonnes of old material.
Above ground, the McKee Clock events space, pavilion structures, terraces, sunken gardens, widened promenade and new paths are now taking shape.

The project has experienced delays and will now open in stages. The McKee Clock events area is expected to reopen this November, with the larger central section following in spring 2027. The proposed western playpark and car park remain subject to planning.

A familiar piece of Bangor is changing before our eyes. One year into construction, the outline of a very different waterfront is beginning to appear.

🌿BLOSSOM, BERRIES, GRASSES & COASTAL PLANTING AT THE NEW MARINE GARDENS 🌳

The proposed tree palette for the new Marine Gardens appears to reflect the realities of an exposed waterfront site.

Silver Birch, Rowan, Hawthorn, Amelanchier and Hornbeam should bring a mix of blossom, berries, autumn colour and structure, while their generally lighter canopies may also help preserve views across the marina.

The wider planting mix follows a similar coastal theme, with ornamental grasses, sea thrift, lavender, salvia, agapanthus, rudbeckia and other flowering perennials and evergreen shrubs adding movement, colour and texture throughout the year.

That is likely part of the thinking behind the selection, with species that can cope with a coastal setting, add biodiversity and give the gardens a more natural, contemporary character.

With semi-mature specimens planned, the aim also seems to be for the planting to make an impact relatively quickly as the new gardens establish.
Once complete and established, Marine Gardens will provide a green, open and accessible waterfront space for everyone to enjoy. A place for events and activities, family fun and promenading, or simply somewhere to sit, slow down and while away a little time beside the marina.

LIGHTING COLUMNS GO UP AT MARINE GARDENS

Good to see another very visible piece of the new Marine Gardens taking shape, with the feature lighting columns now being installed around the McKee Clock Arena and event space.

The tall columns, fitted with multiple adjustable LED luminaires, will form an important part of the lighting for this new outdoor civic and events area.

With the McKee Clock Arena due to be the first section of Marine Gardens brought into use, these latest installations give another glimpse of how the finished space will look and function after dark.

Another noticeable step forward on Bangor’s waterfront.

🍕 APACHE PIZZA LOOKS SET FOR A BANGOR RETURN

It looks like Apache Pizza is preparing to open a new outlet in Bangor city centre, with the familiar red branding now firmly in place on High Street.

Apache is no stranger to Bangor, having previously operated from Toscana Retail Park on West Circular Road, although that branch has since closed.

The new High Street premises are looking increasingly ready for business, bringing another food outlet into the heart of the city centre.

There doesn’t appear to have been a formal opening announcement just yet, so we’ll keep an eye out for confirmation of an opening date.

🍕 Who remembers Apache Pizza from its previous Bangor days?

MARINE COURT HOTEL FOR SALE:-
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁?
Another potentially significant piece of Bangor’s waterfront has come onto the market, with the Marine Court Hotel at 18–20 Quay Street now being offered for sale by private treaty.

The substantial five-storey property occupies around 0.67 acres overlooking Bangor Marina and extends to more than 50,000 sq ft. It contains 51 ensuite bedrooms, bars and restaurants, conference and wedding facilities, a former nightclub, a swimming pool, a gym, and a private car park. The sales particulars also highlight its potential for alternative commercial or residential redevelopment, subject to planning.

The Marine Court sale becomes even more significant when you consider its next-door neighbour.

The former Royal Hotel and Windsor Bar at 22–28 Quay Street is also currently for sale, inviting offers in excess of £1 million. That property occupies approximately 0.34 acres and extends to around 35,649 sq ft. Crucially, it already has full planning permission for 35 apartments, three ground-floor commercial units and associated parking.

🏗️ PUT THE TWO TOGETHER…

Taken together, these adjoining properties represent roughly one acre of prime city-centre waterfront land and more than 85,000 sq ft of existing accommodation, directly overlooking Bangor Marina and beside the emerging Marine Gardens and Queen’s Parade regeneration.

For the right investor or development consortium, the opportunity to acquire both the Marine Court and Royal Hotel sites could be transformational.

A coordinated redevelopment of this entire stretch of Quay Street could create something of genuine scale, whether through hospitality, residential, leisure, restaurants or a wider mixed-use scheme.

With tens of millions of pounds already being invested immediately across the road, it is difficult to think of many comparable waterfront development opportunities currently available in Northern Ireland.

This could be a real game changer for Bangor. 🌊🏗️🏙️

🔴⚪🔵 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐅𝐋𝐘𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄

The Red Arrows are scheduled to fly across Northern Ireland this evening, Thursday 3 September, while travelling from RAF Waddington to Prestwick Airport.

Their planned route includes:

✈️ 6.05pm — Strangford Lough
✈️ 6.07pm — north-east of Downpatrick
✈️ 6.10pm — Carryduff
✈️ 6.13pm — Belfast flypast
✈️ 6.15pm — Carrickfergus
✈️ 6.16pm — Barrs Point

The display team is unlikely to pass directly over Bangor, although there may be an opportunity to spot the aircraft from parts of the Bangor and Belfast Lough coastline, particularly as they travel north after the Belfast flypast.

All timings are approximate and remain subject to weather, operational requirements and last-minute route changes. Keep your eyes and ears open from around 6.10pm! 🔴⚪🔵

✈️ 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓
According to an announcement from RAF Northern Ireland, the Red Arrows are scheduled to fly over Belfast tomorrow evening, Thursday 3 September, with people advised to watch the skies from 6pm.

The precise route has yet to be published, but if the formation approaches along Belfast Lough, there may be an opportunity to see it from Bangor and other coastal locations.

The flypast remains subject to weather, aircraft availability and operational requirements, with timings and routes liable to change at short notice.

𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗗: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦

Ards and North Down Borough Council has just released its 2025/26 Annual Self-Assessment Report, including the latest gross expenditure figures across its main service areas.

To add some context, we have added an extra column showing the approximate cost per Borough resident, based on a population of 165,000.

That means the calculation includes every person living in the Borough, of all ages, including children.

For example, the £19.5 million spent on Waste & Cleansing Services works out to around £118 per resident, while the overall gross expenditure of £87.8 million is equivalent to roughly £532 per person.

These are gross expenditure figures, so they do not take account of income, grants, fees or other receipts that may offset some of the cost.

Breaking the figures down on a per-person basis simply provides another way of putting the scale of Council spending into perspective.

⚓️ A DOUBLE VIKING MORNING ON BELFAST LOUGH

A spectacular sight off Bangor this morning as Viking Jupiter arrived in the bay, with sister ship Viking Sky also passing close by on her way towards Belfast.

The two elegant Viking ocean ships made quite a sight together on Belfast Lough, with Jupiter’s bright orange tenders already busy ferrying passengers ashore to Bangor.

A very warm welcome to Bangor to everyone aboard Viking Jupiter. We hope passengers and crew enjoy their visit to our city and everything the area has to offer.

And a wave across the Lough to those aboard Viking Sky as she continues on to Belfast.

The weather may be a little grey this morning, but it certainly hasn’t spoiled the view! 🌊🛳️

Have a fantastic day in Northern Ireland. ❤️

📸 BangorByTheSea

𝐀 𝐒𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐘-𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊
One of Bangor’s most recognisable heritage buildings has received a fresh splash of colour.

Built in 1921, the imposing red-brick bank was designed by architect James A. Hanna in a Georgian style, with a stucco ground floor, decorative pilasters and pediments. It occupies the former site of the Belfast Hotel and the original Carnegie Library, once known locally as the Reading Rooms.

Look a little closer, and the building reveals some wonderfully playful details. Lions with folded paws form corbels above the main entrance, while carved faces, scrollwork and a winged gryphon decorate the Bingham Lane elevation. The gryphon appears to support the small curved balcony above it.

These features have now been picked out in a vivid yellow as part of the building’s latest external refresh. It certainly draws attention to carvings that many people will have passed without ever noticing.

The gryphon itself is a fitting creature for a former bank. Traditionally combining the strength of a lion with the watchfulness of an eagle, gryphons have long symbolised guardianship, vigilance and the protection of treasure.

Ulster Bank closed the branch in 2017. Seacourt Print Workshop later moved into the building as tenants before securing ownership in 2023. Following an extensive renovation programme, the doors reopened in October 2024.

Today, the historic former bank is home to Seacourt’s open-access print workshop, gallery, education room and 11 artists’ studios, giving the landmark building a vibrant new purpose at the heart of Bangor.

A century after it was built to safeguard money, its distinctive yellow guardian now watches over something altogether different: Bangor’s growing creative community.