Is it a cafe?
Yes – well, sort of… There’s a never-ending supply of sumptuous locally-sourced tea, coffee and scrumptious scones and bakes, and plenty of space to chill out on a squashy sofa to enjoy them. But what other cafe allows you to choose your price and pay what you like into the Honesty Box? Or allows you to BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) so you can bring your packed lunch or a fresh sandwich from the deli bar next door?
Is it an art gallery?
Yes – well, sort of… There’s certainly plenty of inspiring artwork, photography and sculpture around the place, all the work of local artists; there are even some Titanic Guitars (which you can strum if you’re at least a 3-chord wonder). But we don’t sell anything on site – although we can pass you on to a man who can…
Is it a church?
Yes – well, sort of… There’s a team of dedicated volunteers and chaplains from across all church backgrounds, both Protestant and Catholic, who are committed to sharing every step of the journey of building community in this new part of Belfast. There’s a prayer garden where you can rest and reflect, a slipway pilgrimage walk where you can pause and think while walking in the footprint of Titanic, and Sunday Nights on Nomadic – church on a ship.
Is it a museum?
Yes – well, sort of… There’s an ever-expanding display of quirky pieces of history from the Belfast docks – from Titanic memorabilia, to models and unique pictures of shipyard life, to artefacts from the lovely old H&W Drawing Offices. You can see Edward Harland’s signature, Thomas Andrews’ door, SS Nomadic’s restoration and HMS Caroline’s final days in use. But it’s not a hushed museum with exhibits in glass cases – you might be eating your lunch off one of the old tables from the Drawing Offices.
Is it a market?
Yes – well, sort of… There’s a little pop-up market stall as soon as you come through the door – and the only rule is ‘If you make it, you can sell it’. So there’s nothing mass-produced – just a little outlet for unique local enterprises like home-made Belgian waffles, origami, jewellery, wood carvings, hand-crafted bookmarks, knitted hats… you never know what you’ll find!
Is it a charity thing?
Yes – well, sort of… There’s no doubt The Dock is a home-made, volunteer-run, pop-up venue – it’s not a slick shiny enterprise. But it’s not a junk shop – we’re pretty fussy about what goes on display and we like to call the resulting fusion ‘Victorian-Edwardian-Industrial-Pop-Up-Chic’.
The organisation behind The Dock is a registered charity, with the aim of enabling space for Life in the Titanic Quarter – and that’s what thrives here, in the form of book clubs, knitting groups, get-togethers, birthday parties, brainstorming sessions, chess games, and a thousand other unplanned, unforced expressions of community every day.
Here are a few more comments from our customers:
A refuge with great coffee… The heart of TQ… A place of warmth where courage thrives… Earthly home… A good-humoured oasis… A comfy haven… A sanctuary… A superhero hangout… A happy place… A home… A place of peace and tranquility… a magic little piece of Belfast… human kindness… warmth on a rainy day… a fun place with nice views and good coffee… a warm, welcome place for rest… local church… Serenity amongst chaos… one of a kind… not just a cafe…a Godsend… Wonderful place, we love it… A place for me & my best friends to spend time… Where you can chill, enjoy great coffee and while away the hours… a place to connect with friends… the craic is 90…
So there you go, question answered! Easy really.
Whatever it is, The Dock is open 11 – 5 Monday – Saturday. Maybe the best way to find out is to call in, grab a coffee, find a squashy sofa in a cosy corner and relax… you’re part of Life in the Titanic Quarter.
I popped in on Monday after poking around various recesses in the Nomadic, with a couple of my ancient cameras. Always drawn to artistic venues, The Dock called to me like sirens. But instead of rocks I found myself in ahaven of delight,…. what a scintillating place. I have been waxing lyrical about it ever since. Fabulous.