Status : Taphouse/ Time/ Playwrights
5-6 Lower Cres, Belfast BT7 1NR
It never ceases to amaze me where public houses are to be found, especially in Belfast. Who would have thought that a very pretty one can be seen in a fine house in probably the grandest neo-Classical terrace to be found in the North? Upper and Lower Crescent are very well known for their stately appearance, stucco terraces very much in the Bath manner, with Corinthian pillars and pilasters. The curved Upper Crescent was built in 1846, while the straighter Lower Crescent was built 6 years later. The builder was James Corry, but there seems to be some doubt as to who was the architect and designer, but the fine detailed work of the balustrades and the lovely Corinthian work throughout points to the hand of Sir Charles Lanyon, renowned architect of Queen’s University (1849), The Customs House (1857) and, of course, the famed Antrim Coast Road, built as a famine relief work back in 1834.
What distinguishes The Fly from the other grand houses on the terrace is its name written in large letters on the two ground windows. Needless to say, it’s a listed building, so it is no surprise to see the designer has retained the charm and many features of the original building. To the right as you enter, is the narrow wooden pillared bar, with a balustrade running along the top of it. The original wooden floor is there and, of course, so is the original period ceiling. Facing the bar is an old range fire, which makes a nice centrepiece. The windows are suitably draped, and a helpful assistant informed me that by day you can’t see into the bar from the outside, but you can see out, while at night it’s the reverse. To the rear of the bar there is a nice practical room with white and black diamond tiles. Here a DJ plays requests in the evenings (Note: there is no room for dancing). Clientele changes as the day passes. Lunch is served from 12 to 2.30, and then you might be rubbing shoulders with academics, doctors, nurses and business people. By evening, the clientele is very much younger, 25 and upwards, but here all ages blend harmoniously together. As you ascend the stairs, your eyes are immediately drawn to the magnificent circular domed fanlight, a feature in all of these fine houses in the terrace. The bar in the lounge is similar to the one downstairs, except this is slightly curved. Once again, the original ceiling is retained, with a small chandelier hanging from the centre, while the entire room is carpeted. The Fly is only three years old. It was a new licence granted to Donnelly and Devlin, who sold it on to Laurence Scott and Fred Devinny, who, in turn sold it to Eamonn Diamond last year. It must be one of the smallest, newest bars in the North.
This is a stylish, simple and friendly little bar, sensitively designed and furnished in good taste, in keeping with this period house – well worth a call.