The Phoenix rises again with latest renovation

Originally dating back to 1847, The Phoenix Bar had been an integral part of local life for over a century in North Belfast.

For decades, it was a bustling meeting place where families, friends, and neighbours gathered to celebrate milestones and share stories. Yet, by the time Ciaran Smyth took on the renovation of the space, the pub had fallen into a state of disrepair, its once-proud history at risk of being erased entirely.

“The building was in shocking condition when we took it on,” Ciaran, owner of Belfast city centre bar’s Orisha and Voodoo recalled. “The history of the place was there, but you could see that it was dying. The pub had meant so much to the community, and we couldn’t let it go to waste.”

As the man tasked with revitalising The Phoenix, Ciaran was determined to restore its legacy while bringing it into the 21st century. The renovation project which spanned over two years started with the intention of preserving the bar’s Victorian charm and quickly grew into something much larger: a complete revival of both the building and the sense of community that had been lost in recent years.

A legacy passed down

“My grand-uncle, Jonny Smyth bought it in 1951 at the age of 75,” Ciaran explained. “When I was a very young child in the early 1960s, my father used to work at The Phoenix, which was run by Jonny.” A man who was known for his entrepreneurial spirit, Ciaran’s granduncle had numerous businesses around the town, and his ventures were always forward-thinking. “He had more businesses around the town. He was a tiny little man, but he had a head full of ideas,” Ciaran recalled.

However, in 1965, Ciaran’s granduncle passed away. “When he died, none of the family members wanted to take over The Phoenix. My father was a farmer, bar work didn’t suit him at all, and so it was leased out,” Ciaran continued. Over the years, the bar passed through various tenants, including Irish Bonding and Croft Inns, until it finally ended up in the hands of former landlord Joe Crangle, who ran it for 20 years.

But when Joe decided to retire in 2022, the Smyth family found themselves at a crossroads. “When Joe handed in the keys, we knew it was coming,” Ciaran reflected. “The building was in bad condition due to the many years of typical wear and tear, but it had a lot of character. The thing is, around this town, these Victorian buildings of character are being demolished because they’re not considered efficient. But a building with character can really work well as in a pub. That’s something I was determined to preserve.”

“The fact is, if we sold the building, it would either be flattened or converted into apartments, and that wouldn’t have given us the value we wanted,” Ciaran said. “We decided the best option was to refurbish it ourselves. It was our building, and we wanted to make it work for the future.”

Stripping back the layers

Renovating The Phoenix was no small task. When Ciaran and his team first walked through the bar, it was clear that restoring the building would require not only labour and resources, but also a deep understanding of the history they were working to preserve. “We gutted the place, stripped back everything,” Ciaran said. “There was so much that needed ripped out such as old wiring and rotting wood. It was a huge job.”

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