The other big change here in Belfast recently is the decreasing of security around City Centre.
You see, not so very long ago, they would, very often, block off City Centre streets to enable the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the military to control traffic into City Centre. In order to accomplish this they had movable, permanent barriers up all around the roads leading to City Centre.
About 1.5, 2ish years ago, they took them all down. It was one of those weird experiences because I was walking down the street and I was thinking, something is different. And then I realized that all the barriers were gone. Not one remained.
Then, just about 2 months ago now, they started tearing up the pavement between the court buildings. Now, you’ve always been able to walk between the buildings, but there was a guard house and traffic control. The entire area was blocked off from vehicles getting too close without a guard inspecting it.
Now its all gone. Its just a lovely pedestrian walkway with trees and benches and there is a bus lane.
Another thing I’ve noticed, just lately, is the lack of security guards in City Centre stores. Apparently, not that long ago, you were searched whenever you went into a store in City Centre. Since I’ve been here, there have been no searches, but always a security guard hovering around the entrance. In every store. Now I only see them where you’d expect to see them, like the high end jewellery stores.
Unfortunately, this just happened the other night. So the troubles are not 100% over, if they ever will be. But things are changing. For the better.