Widely reported and billed as the opening of the year, the Ulster Hall reopened on Friday 6th March 2009 with a concert by the Ulster Orchestra in the presence of a capacity audience.
The £8.5m refurbishment scheme included refitting and redecorating the ornate Grand Hall, and a five-storey extension at the rear which provides modern dressing-rooms, education suites for schools and community groups, and new meeting facilities.
A special feature has been the restoration of Joseph Carey’s paintings from 1902 which illustrates the history and mythology of Belfast.
The refurbishment included a new interpretive history display, and a new cafe area.
One of the many plaudits came from the Ulster Orchestra Chief Executive David Byers who was upbeat about the new venue “it’s wonderful, it’s light, airy and really refreshing, it’s better than ever, a fabulous site.”