Havelock House Former Home of UTV 1959-2018
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Havelock House, on the Ormeau Road in Belfast, is the former headquarters of Wireless Group Ltd (formerly UTV Media), and also UTV. UTV and U105 Radio occupied the building from October 1959 to June 2018. In 2018 both UTV and U105 moved out to new studios at City Quays 2 in the Belfast docks opposite the SSE Arena/Odyssey building. Before the building was converted into a television studio complex, Havelock House was the former site of a hemstitching warehouse. During World War II, it was used as a billet for troops providing cover for Belfast's bridges. For many years, UTV's studio base at Havelock House was also used by television film crews around the world to process and edit film footage of "The Troubles". ITN reporters were also regularly seen reporting on the rooftop of Havelock House, including former UTV reporter John Irvine.
apart from hosting the evening UTV News Havelock House was the base for noteables such as the Kelly Show ( 1989-2005 ) and much loved School Around the Corer.
I was inside it for a meeting and the entrance was stuck in the early 90's in terms of decor, mirrors and pine everywhere. My favourite moment in UTV history was the lady that won the car on UTV Life and then said she could get a lift up to Havelock House to collect it because her daughter worked at UTV. That made her entrance null and void and she got nothing. If only she had kept her mouth shut she could have had a £20k car.
Oh dear CP that was quite a smack in the mouth for her!!!!!!!
@@TomMcClean It's on CZcams, terrible for her but great television
czcams.com/video/wxsIxaSESvQ/video.html
Hi Tom it would be nice to think that this loverly building could be turned into a museum telling the history of TV, & Radio, & Film,of Ireland, a long the lines of what they did at the IMaxThearte in Bradford West Yorkshire, i'm sure it would be a great tourist attraction I just love it C.
Yes that would be a super idea Chris but I think it will be turned into flats.
Really Enjoy your broadcasts and your wildlife videos God bless you and your family
Hey that is so nice for you to say that Gary. May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you and your family too. Best wishes from the Castlereagh Hills Belfast.
@@TomMcClean Hi Tom. You can see the join of the original Havelock House and the modern extension built between 1991-1993. When UTV knew they had won their ITV franchise back in October 1991, and from Jan 1993 their new franchise period would commence, they invested around £4 million in upgrading their Havelock House site, as it was becoming very outdated, compared to BBC Northern Ireland, who by 1991 had refurbished BBC Broadcasting House in Ormeau Ave, and had purchased the old Blackstaff Press building in Great Victoria St in 1989 and transformed that into a massive 6,000 Sq Ft modern studio called Studio A, which remains in use to this day as of April 2022. UTV however had the money, but not the space at their site, and in 1992, could only construct a 2,500 Sq Ft new studio as part of their £4 million investment. It was small, but well made studio. In fact the Kelly Show which launched in 1989 had to make do with being squeezed into their 1,600 Sq Ft studio every Friday from 1989-1993, before moving in their new studio in September 1993. Just a wee bit of history into the site.
Hi John. Thanks, for this. This is very detailed information you have given. You certainly know your stuff! Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
@@TomMcClean Hi Tom, my dad when he was alive used to work for Group 4 Security, and he did security for UTV, and that is how I got to know Havelock House, through my dad.
Right John. You would certainly pick up a lot of on site knowledge doing that job.
I saw someone filming around havelock house today. Now a video just came up in my suggested for a video from today.
Maybe me then Ryan! I didn't think anyone was looking at me. Best wishes from the Castlereagh Hills.
@@TomMcClean I was on the bus at the time. Best wishes from Castlereagh road!
Ah right Ryan! lol It must have been me! lol
Hi Tom....I listen to U 105 and Belfast 89. I hope the building will be used for something in the near future
Probably be converted into flats Mike.
I think it is just amazing you can pull your bike up anywhere and park. That is so very not allowed here!
It means I can get into places/spaces/through gates that cars cannot Greg. And then you can do u turns so easily without disrupting traffic. Police and even traffic wardens here give bikes a by-ball as long as they aren't parked somewhere really stupid that a partially sighted person is going to trip over.
Hi Tom. Loving the video. My grandparents used to live in shaftesbury avenue. .great information. For some reason may mummy always referred to the building as batties stores. She was born in 1928,so I suppose she must have been talking about sometime pre war.
This is so interesting Patsy. I wonder where that old nickname came from! A wee mystery there! Thanks for your encouragement!
I think my mummy called it batties stores, because cat one time there was a shop in that area, a sort of "open all hours" type of shop. Perhaps somewhere there might be a record of it.
Interesting Patsy. I'll see if I can find a mention of it.
Thanks for sharing Tom and i thought it was still being used by UTV, did you ever come across any Old Style Cinema's still standing today.
Old style cinemas Paul? The only one to survive that I know is,
The Strand Last Art Deco Cinema in Ireland
czcams.com/video/6cRiNUYmToU/video.html
I wonder is the Iveagh still open in Banbridge?
@@TomMcClean Thanks for info Tom in the early 1970’s I went to several in Belfast to see the Kung Fu films including The Avenue in Royal Avenue,The ABC,The New Vic also The Majestic and Tivoli.
All gone Paul!