It’s the end of an era for punters as one of Belfast’s oldest and most historically significant pubs has closed its doors.
The Fort Bar on Springfield Road in the west of the city called last orders on Monday following the decision to shut by the leaseholder.
Also known as McCartan’s, the venue is in the property portfolio of the Beannchor Group, founded by Belfast entrepreneur Bill Wolsey.
However, despite the recent disappointment for regulars, hopes remain that it still has a future and that the last pints have yet to be pulled.
It first opened in 1865, and is one of the last remaining Victorian saloon-style watering holes in the city, alongside the famous Crown Bar in Great Victoria Street.
The listed west Belfast building contains ornate mahogany snugs for drinkers to enjoy a pint in private, and has been recognised for its historical value by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) group, featuring on its Pub Heritage website.
The site notes the pub’s layout is “special to Northern Ireland – a row of tiny snugs along the exterior wall and a wide black and white diamond shaped tiled drinking space between them and the bar counter”.
Up until its closure, the day-to-day running had been carried out by manager Raymond Cringle, who earlier this year hung up his whistle after 17 years as an Irish League soccer referee.
“The decision to close was taken on Monday, and it really is the end of an era for the current iteration of this beloved pub,” he told the Irish News.
“The place has real character and like the Crown, is like taking a step back in time when you enter it.
“From the tiles on the floor, to the snugs and the bar itself, it’s a beautiful place, and the kind of atmosphere that is becoming ever rarer when it comes to drinking establishments.
“Story has it the bar façade was carved by the same carpenters who worked on the confessional boxes at Clonard Monastery, and if you look closely, you can see the similarities in the rose design.”
The pub was opened by the McGuigan family, who ran it for 77 years, while one of its snugs retains the features of when it was the ‘Grocery Department’ - required from the era of the Irish ‘spirit grocers’, when pubs were forced to diversify by the 19th century temperance movement across the island.
It is said the pub acquired the ‘Fort’ name as it was located opposite an old long-closed RUC station.
Ray added: “I hope it has a long future ahead of it, and that it won’t be closed for too long, but it’s a really difficult time to be running a pub. Many are struggling with the costs involved, while punters are also facing a hard time with the cost-of-living crisis.”
Speaking of the pub’s future, Bill Wolsey told the Irish News: “The Fort is a long-standing venue with great potential. We are currently assessing options on the next steps, and will either seek to find a new tenant, or put the venue up for sale.”
