Belfast Diary: Hill Street saga, a tractor museum and a unique interpretation
Belfast councillor Brian Smyth aired his criticism of the SDLP over its alleged role in the scheme, given that former SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon was Infrastructure Minister when Hill Street was pedestrianised in a pilot project in 2020.
This week, the SDLP posted a video on X of several party representatives standing on Hill Street calling for progress in its pedestrianisation.
In the footage, Stormont Opposition leader Matthew O'Toole tells the camera: 'Some things in politics are difficult, others are expensive, and sadly lots of things are difficult and expensive.
'But this isn't either. It should be easy, but ministers won't get on and do it.'
Brian Smyth took issue with the clip, responding: 'The brass neck of this. It was an SDLP minister who first trailed pedestrianising Hill Street during Covid & was never made permanent.
'The same SDLP minister who failed to use that period as the window to accelerate change. Don't try to pin all this on the current Executive.'
Elsewhere, TUV leader Jim Allister has submitted an early day motion in the Commons calling for a museum to be founded in Belfast in honour of Harry Ferguson, the father of the modern tractor.
The motion notes that Ferguson filed his master patent for his tractor in Belfast 100 years ago and Mr Allister said 'as Northern Ireland's most celebrated inventor, his life and work deserve a permanent and inspiring home.'
Just how popular a tractor museum would be is unclear.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that a new film loosely based on the £26.5m Northern Bank robbery in 2004 is to begin shooting in June.
Interesting, Chasing Millions won't be a straight crime flick, but rather a 'dark, character-driven comedy', according to director Stephen Burke.
For some reason, the film is also set to feature a 'determined young Australian police detective' who finds herself investigating the heist while on a family visit to Northern Ireland.
Certainly a unique take.
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