Court Was Torched, Says Fire Service

Last week's blaze which destroyed around half of the empty Crumlin Road Courthouse was deliberate.

The Northern Ireland Fire Service said a fire at the Victorian, 150-year-old courthouse last week was started deliberately. A section of the building, which housed courtrooms one and four, was destroyed in the fire.

Locals raised the alarm just before 3pm on March 12th after they spotted flames and smoke coming from the building.

Although fire service units were on the scene within minutes, the flames had taken hold on the building.

Fire Service Group Commander Brian McClintock told conservation officials at the scene that the rear of the building was badly damaged.

He said that the roof had collapsed, the walls were badly damaged and that a section of the famous building may have to come down.

The fire could have a disastrous impact on an imaginative plan to turn the premises into a hotel.

The current owner, developer Barry Gilligan said: "It's very disappointing. The hopes of an entire community are there.

"I have worked with the community in trying to bring this very important building back to life, and in doing so could create jobs."

However, he said there was still hope: "I am still determined to do that, but I would appeal to the community that if they have any knowledge as to how this fire was started they should pass that on to the PSNI."

Mr Gilligan bought the courthouse in September 2003 and released plans to turn it into a hotel and tourist attraction.

He believes that the courthouse still has the potential to be an important tourist attraction for Belfast.

Speaking at the time he said that among the possible uses for the refurbished courtroom are film screenings, lectures on the history of the jail, or re-enactments of famous trials.

"Alcatraz was only open for 30 years as a penitentiary but it is a huge tourist driver for San Francisco," Mr Gilligan said.

"There's no reason why we can't capitalise on these unique buildings."

Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau, also believed that the development could be key for Belfast's growing reputation as a tourist destination.

"The image of a war-torn, burnt-out, Troubles-ravaged city is not the case.

"That sort of development in that area of the city would bring a sort of dynamism that has not been there for some time," he said previously.

The plans for the Courthouse Hotel are imaginative.

It would feature 151 rooms and 10 luxury suites, more than 10,764 sq ft of conference facilities, the restoration of the original Crown Courtroom for lectures and business seminars, a ballroom and 92 parking spaces.

The front of the building would be restored, and there would be an eight-storey extension at the back.

See: Blaze Endangers Plan For Courthouse Hotel