Lisburn News

£5m shop plan for
Lisburn

In August 1985 it was announced that Lisburn was set to have a £5 million covered shopping centre.

Outline permission was granted after planning formalities had been finalised for Crazy Prices to build what was set to be be a mammoth project which was due to be completed by early in 1988.

Crazy Prices planned an impressive mall-type enclosed complex on the car park of their existing store at the junction of Ridgeway Street and Antrim Street.

The ambitious complex was seen as good news for the borough. There would be employment for more than 200 when the development was ready for occupation as well as jobs during construction. The car park for the new mall was be laid out on the site of the old Stewart's Mill.

Lighting concern

IN August 1985 the search for illumination on street lighting problems in Dunmurry left Councillor Rev. William Beattie scratching his head in bewilderment.

The confusion was caused by apparently contradictory reports received by the councillor from the DoE about issues
he had raised.

Yet both came from the same office.

Councillor Beattie was told that street lighting at Seymour Hill, Conway Estate and Hawthorne Park 'was generally of an acceptable standard in common with many other large estates in the Lisburn area'.

PAST TIMES

Looking back at news from Lisburn's past

Pupils at Sloan Street Primary School pictured during
Coronation year -1953

Alcohol problems to be addressed

IN August 1985 people in Lisburn who might not have realised they had a problem with alcohol, were offered the chance to do something about it. The opportunity to listen and learn more about what was described as a 'killer disease was created by Alcoholics Anonymous.

The organisation, which was already active in the borough with clubs in Railway Street and the Bridge Community Centre, was to hold a public information meeting in the town.

AA was concerned that people in general did not know enough about alcoholism and wanted to put Lisburn in the picture.

Interested parties, police, clergy, doctors, welfare workers, probation officers and businesses were all invited along with ordinary citizens. Those who attended would be told AA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other in order to solve their common problem and help others to recover form alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership was a desire to stop drinking. The primary purpose of the meetings was to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.

Lisburn jobless figures soar through the roof

A treat for the feet - slip on shoes in black brown were available at Dress-Rite in Longstone Street for £1.75 back in 1971

IN August 1986 unemployment in Lisburn borough crashed through the roof.

A record 6,178 were registered as out of work in the area during the previous month, a depressing economic slump which set the alarm bells clanging.

The Mayor of the borough, Councillor Walter Lilburn, confessed to being depressed by the lengthening dole queue.

Mr Lilburn said the town was in the grip of lawlessness and criminality. This is instrinsically linked to the disastrous unemployment situation" he said.

The Council were considering what to do with the nine hole golf course it had bought (it's now the site of the LeisurePlex) and Harry Secombe and Ann Shelton were staying in the Woodlands Hotel while appearing at the ABC to entertain the troops

The town's first citizen feared that a recent spate of petrol bombing and intimidation would halt progress in Lisburn.

He appealed to councillors, church leaders and all responsible citizens to unite in standing out against the evil which was soiling the name of Lisburn.

The Mayor also hit out at what he described as 'disastrous government policies'. "The economic strategy is as successful as their law and order efforts in Northern Ireland."

Mr Lilburn suggested the Secretary of State Tom King would have been better employed assessing the abysmal failure of the Government in Northern Ireland rather than lauding its successes.

The Mayor said it was time the Government offered something more positive on the economic front.

Strong condemnation of the Government also came from Alderman Ivan Davis, who said the young had become a betrayed generation under the policies of Mrs. Thatcher's Government. He said many older people had also been forced into early retirement.

Mr Davis warned that if economic thinking couldn't grasp where the present situation was leading the future for the unemployed would be continued misery and despair, with even longer dole queues.

There were 4,166 men out without work in the borough area and almost 2,000 women.

A Department of Economic Development spokesman said that unemployment in the Province was running at an all-time high. "Obviously Lisburn is suffering along with the rest."

He pointed out that the previous month was or traditionally a month when the jobless figures one were swollen by claimants from the education
field.

A treat for the feet - slip on shoes in black brown were available at Dress-Rite in Longstone Street for £1.75 back in 1971
The Council were considering what to do with the nine hole golf course it had bought (it's now the site of the LeisurePlex) and Harry Secombe and Ann Shelton were staying in the Woodlands Hotel while appearing at the ABC to entertain the troops

Ambulance cover fears

IN August 1985 there was confusion and panic in Lisburn as the borough became caught up in the grip of one strike with another imminent.

Lagan Valley Hospital Lisburn's health life-line, was left without ambulance cover and town centre banks found themselves virtually under siege.

Queues formed at the local branches of the four main banking outlets as worried members of the public rushed to withdraw money.

Production resumed

IN August 1971 Grundig tape recorder works at Dunmurry was to resume full producuction after four months of short time. The introduction of short time meant that the factory closed down for two days every fortnight and a resultant 20 percent drop in wage packets.

Ulster Star
03/02/2012