Foundryquarterattownsend

24/12/2025

Ever wondered what the old Soho Foundry on Townsend Street was like?

Picture the glow of molten metal, the thud of machinery, and skilled workers shaping the components that powered Belfast’s growth. The Foundry wasn’t just an industrial site — it was a community landmark, woven into the daily rhythm of the neighbourhood.

Today, here in Townsend Enterprise Park, we’re proud to celebrate that incredible legacy and the stories that continue to inspire regeneration in our city. With the help of Tiernan Fitzlarkin a Town Planner a PhD Researcher at Ulster University we have using AI recreated what the Soho Foundry would have looked like here in Townsend Street 200 years ago. Located beside the former Townsend Street Presbyterian Church, today home to the Ulster Orchestra. We hope you enjoy this look back at Christmas time as we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and look forward to 2026 and sharing more of our stories, both new and old, from Townsend Street.

Ulster Orchestra Ulster University

28/10/2025

🌟 We’re thrilled to announce that Townsend Enterprise Park is now a proud member of the Belfast Business Promise! 🎉

Join us in our commitment to making Belfast a more inclusive, sustainable and thriving place to work and live.

We’re excited for this next chapter and proud to stand alongside the many organisations across the city who are helping realise the vision of a stronger, fairer Belfast.

Watch this short introduction to the Belfast Business Promise to learn more: https://youtu.be/g3YGtUxAltc?si=xG-7xzfVTlrNgiox

We welcomed new members, supporters and ambassadors in September 2025.

23/10/2025

☕✨ is here!! 😀

We are delighted to welcome Aaron and Sarah “ITSA coffee” to the Street. Providing much needed coffee and more besides!!

Open Monday to Friday 8 a.m to 2.30 p.m.

We are delighted to support them in this new venture.

Here’s a little more about them:

ITSA coffee is an independent mobile coffee venture funded by couple Aaron and Sarah. Rooted in quality, community and family values. ITSA coffee with serve a carefully curated menu of hot and cold drinks alongside home-made favourites such as their peanut butter banana and chocolate chip loaf and creamy biscoff Chia seed and banana overnight oats.

The name is a personal story. ITSA reflects Ireland and the couples commitment to supporting local producers businesses and charities while celebrating the very best the island has to offer. It also represents her son Theodore who is the inspiration behind the business and of course Sarah and Aaron themselves who pour their passion and dedication into every detail.

For Aaron who grew up in the Shankill opening at the Foundry Quarter at Townsend is a full circle moment and a chance to reconnect with the community he calls home. They are proud to be part of the rich history of this site, being located at once was the main entrance to the Soho Foundry and excited to contribute to its vibrant future.

15/10/2025

Did you know Belfast’s Townsend Enterprise Park stands on the site of one of Ireland’s most important foundries?

Back in 1838, brothers Robert & James MacAdam built the Soho Foundry right here they created Ireland’s largest steam engine and even sent machinery to Egypt to irrigate the Nile Delta! 🌍

Fast forward to 1986, the site was reborn as Townsend Enterprise Park, a space built on peace, regeneration, and unity, founded by both Townsend Presbyterian Church and St. Peter’s Cathedral working together. 🤝

Now it’s home to over 46 thriving businesses continuing Belfast’s story of innovation and resilience. 🏗️✨

Because here on Townsend Street… Belfast’s past and future are built side by side. 💛

21/08/2025

🖤 Townsend Street has seen many changes over the years.

Once alive with rows of red-brick houses, mills, and the sound of families going about their daily lives, it was at the heart of a close-knit Belfast community. Streets like this carried stories of children playing on the pavements, neighbours looking out for one another, and the bustle of working life that shaped the city.

This photograph captures a moment in time — when old homes were being cleared away, familiar streets disappeared, and the landscape of Belfast changed forever. Yet, the memories remain strong for those who grew up here.

Do you remember Townsend Street as it once was? Share your stories below 👇