Who we are
First Street Cooperative is an independent community benefit society established by
activists from local communities and communities of interest. We combine decades’
experience of involvement in community education, cooperative development, anti-racism
and anti-sectarianism, women’s advocacy and the Irish language sector. Our vision
First Street’s vision is the establishment of a Commun
ity and Cooperative Hub on the
interface between the Falls and Shankill communities in West Belfast. It is our hope that the
hub will find a home at the site of 4 North Howard Street, a former linen mill bounded by
First Street, North Howard Street, Third Street and Conway Street. This iconic site straddles the city’s first and most imposing peace wall at Cupar Way, the
scene of much conflict in the past and now a stark reminder of the unfinished business of
peace and reconciliation. The building itself has a rich history dating back more than 150 years and stands as a symbol
of West Belfast’s industrial and social heritage. Operating at its peak from the late Victorian
era to the mid-1900s, the mill formed part of a world-renowned centre of linen production
that provided tens of thousands of jobs, sustained local communities and fostered a shared
sense of identity among those who lived and worked in it. By the same token, the industry’s post-war collapse pushed those same communities into a
downward spiral of unemployment, poverty and urban decay, creating the economic
conditions that would fuel sectarian conflict and division in subsequent decades. The aim of this collaborative project is to restore and transform the now vacant mill on
North Howard Street into a vibrant, dynamic and welcoming shared space that preserves
the historic essence of the mill and meets the unfolding challenges and opportunities of the
twenty-first century. This will involve a complementary mix of commercial and non-commercial functions
including:
- A state-of-the-art education space, home to a bi-lingual (English and Irish)
Communiversity.
- A flexible, mixed-use workspace comprising offices, meeting rooms, hot-desks, a
multimedia function room, communal kitchen and lounge, with a strong emphasis on
encouraging use by VCSEs, non-profits, cooperatives and local SME start-ups.
- A social and public space for communities to spend time together and learn about one
another in an informal setting.
- A cooperatively-owned café and event and exhibition space delivering a rolling programme
of art, music, culture and science activities.
- A centre for cooperative development and social innovation, which will aim to catalyse the
growth of employee- and community-owned enterprises that address a range of social,
economic and environmental challenges.
- A cooperatively owned and managed brewery that operates at the highest standard of
environmental performance and generates employment on the interface.
- A community-based urban garden where local people of all ages can interact through
participation in events and activities. It will expand the green space in what is a densely
populated and highly polluted area, while promoting the benefits of sustainable local food
production and distribution.
- A permanent visitor attraction with an exhibition focused on the heritage of the old mill,
the industry of which it was a part and the communities that grew up around it. It will create a stopping-off point on the established West Belfast Heritage
Trail, attracting local and international visitors alike. Once established, this unique shared space will be open for use by all communities and will
make a significant contribution to the physical, social and economic regeneration of the
local area.
