MayWe

14/01/2025

This Day, we’re shining a spotlight on heritage gem, 2 Royal Avenue ✨

We have been the proud venue operators of this historic building since April 2022, which currently functions as a cultural civic and community hub!

Enjoy a snippet of history about 2 Royal Avenue 👇

The 2 Royal Avenue building was designed by WJ Barre between 1864-1869. It's original use was the head office of the Provincial Bank of Ireland.

Barre was a prolific Irish architect who specialised in a Gothic Revival style. His best-known works include the Albert Memorial Clock and Ulster Hall. When Barre died following a short illness in 1867, at the age of 37, the architecture firm Turner and Williamson completed the building.

The impressive seven-bay façade is missing an elaborate sculpture that was intended for the pediment. A key feature is the beautiful, circular dome over an octagonal arcade. It is supported by corbelled columns that lead up to a Gothic gallery.

In 1996, the building was converted into a Tesco Metro store, with architects from the firm WDR and RT Taggart carrying out the restoration. In 2021, the building was purchased by Belfast City Council.

Present Day 👋 2 Royal Avenue is an accessible and inclusive building designed to create a sense of calm and provide for people of all ages and abilities. Facilities include:

Event and Workshop spaces available to hire 🎭🎨
Yallaa Cafe - serving up Mediterranean and Arabic dishes with a local twist 🥙🥗
The ‘Cosy’ - a fun playful space for children to explore 🧸
A Belfast-themed library with books for all ages 📚
A sensory dome ✨
Meeting pods 🗣
A community notice board, comfortable seating, free Wi-Fi, baby-changing, study areas and a grand piano 🎶the building is also dog-friendly 🐶

2 Royal Avenue is open 10am-6pm Monday-Sunday and is free entry!

To see what's coming up visit maywe.co.uk/2ra

Belfast City Council Visit Belfast The National Lottery Heritage Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland Love Heritage NI

06/01/2025

📢 VOTE FOR 2 ROYAL AVENUE-MAYWE EVENTS 📢

If you are a disabled visitor that received a warm welcome or held an accessible event at 2 Royal Avenue, please consider voting for 2 Royal Avenue/MayWe Events in the Inclusive Tourism Awards.

We are encouraging nominations in the following categories:
👋 Warmest Welcome
🚶‍♂️ Going the Extra Mile

Vote for us here 👉 https://smithandkent.typeform.com/InclusiveAwards

Thank you ❤


Belfast City Council

25/12/2024

🎄✨The MayWe Team wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 🎄✨

23/12/2024

Happy Christmas Eve’s Eve ✨

This year, we’ve been inspired by the Icelandic Christmas Eve tradition of Jólabókaflóð, or ‘Christmas Book Flood’. This tradition involves giving and receiving new books with loved ones, usually accompanied by delicious hot chocolate ☕❤️

Call in to before 4pm on Christmas Eve to give or receive a new book as part of our Blind Date Book Swap 📖

The books are wrapped so you choose a book based on it’s short description, not by it’s cover! 📚

Happy Jólabókaflóð everyone - and have a very Merry Christmas 🎄

19/12/2024

Take part in our Blind Date Book Swap in 2 Royal Avenue 📚

Drop a book to 2 Royal Avenue by tomorrow, then visit between 20th-24th December and select a new book based on it's short description 📖

Free to take part ☺️

Blind Date Book Swap 📖✨

Have a book you wish to donate? Bring it to 2 Royal Avenue before the 20th December!

From 20th-24th December, pop in for the perfect pre-Christmas treat and grab a mystery book from under our tree 🎄

With only a description and age rating on view we can all learn not to judge a book by its cover ❤️

All books kindly donated.

Free Event, no booking required.



Belfast City Council Visit Belfast MayWe Belfast One Yallaa Café

16/12/2024

A wonderful glimpse into the essence of 2 Royal Avenue ❤️

We have been the proud venue operators of 2 Royal Avenue since April 2022. Since this time, we have been the friendly, welcoming face for over 530,000 visitors!

We're currently running our Winter Den programme ❄️ if you haven't visited yet, pop in during the festive season and check out what's on by visiting maywe.co.uk/2ra 🎄

A big thanks to Omar and Eimear from BBC News NI for capturing 2 Royal Avenue so well!

Belfast City Council

Three years after it opened as a community hub, a listed Belfast building is growing in popularity.

13/12/2024

MayWe Team Christmas Do🎄

We swapped high vis for festive dress at our Christmas do last night ✨ which included a fun Christmas themed quiz by our very own quizmaster/Santa Claus Paul and Elf sidekick Sarah 🎅🏻

A big thanks to for being such brilliant hosts 👏

Don’t we all scrub up well 🤩

13/12/2024

FESTIVE FILMS: ELF🎅🎄

Join us in Carrickfergus Town Hall tomorrow for a festive screening of Elf! Watch Buddy the Elf get himself into mischief as he brings the magic of Christmas to those who need it 🎄❄️

Tickets are just £2 and can be purchased from
https://thebraid.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173660354

06/12/2024

Join us this festive season in Larne and Carrickfergus for festive film screenings! 🎄

Get your tickets here:

Home Alone, Larne 7th December https://thebraid.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173660351

Elf, Carrick, 14th December
https://thebraid.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173660354

28/11/2024

We are delighted to launch this brand new performing arts programme with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and our fantastic delivery partner CMAC Creative Arts & Wellbeing providing specialist day opportunity provision for adults with learning disabilities in both Coleraine and Antrim!

Our talented service user groups are looking forward to sharing their all singing, all dancing productions with the wider community over the coming years! 💃🏼🎭

25/11/2024

We were delighted to officially launch our PEACEPLUS project 'Creating Creatives' in Derry~Londonderry on Monday evening 🎊

It was a fun evening of art, great conversation and an incredible music performance from the newly established Derry Rock Choir 🎶

A huge thanks to The Mayor of Derry City & Strabane District Council for coming and singing along 🎵

This exciting project will involve the facilitation of creative cross border workshops with organisations, charities and youth groups across the Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) area and Donegal.

This project is generously funded through the Derry City and Strabane District Council’s PEACEPLUS Local Co-Designed Action Plan, supported by PEACEPLUS - a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Derry City & Strabane District Council Mayor of Derry City & Strabane District FUSE arts

18/11/2024

We're looking forward to the launch of our ‘Creating Creatives’ PEACEPLUS Project this evening in St Columb's Park House 🎊

Keep an eye on our socials over the coming months for more information on this creative project.

This project is generously funded through the Derry City and Strabane District Council’s PEACEPLUS Local Co-Designed Action Plan, supported by PEACEPLUS - a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

FUSE arts are delighted to be teaming up with MayWe over the next year to facilitate an accredited arts training programme and a Visual Storytelling project as part of ‘Creating Creatives’ PEACEPLUS Project 🫱🏼‍🫲🏽

‘Creating Creatives’ is a creative community development project for young people and adults in the Waterside DEA ✨

MayWe have organised a fantastic project launch event which will take place tonight, Monday 18th November, from 7:30-9pm in St Columb’s Park House!

We will be facilitating a drop in tote bag painting workshop during the launch so why not come along to design and make one of your own 🛍️ workshop will be suitable for all ages but targeted at teenagers and adults 🙂

This project is generously funded through the Derry City and Strabane District Council’s PEACEPLUS Local Co-Designed Action Plan, supported by PEACEPLUS - a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

15/11/2024

The Winter Den opens in 2 Royal Avenue tomorrow! ❄️

Join us for a Sensory Switch on event at 5pm-8pm featuring a silent disco, sensory play trays, a snow globe dome and light up fairies ✨

There will be a quiet tree switch on at 7.30pm 🎄

For more info and to view the full programme of events visit https://www.maywe.co.uk/2ra

Belfast City Council

✨Sensory Switch On ✨

Join us tomorrow, Saturday 16th November, from 5pm-8pm in our designated sensory space, featuring a variety of relaxed activities including a silent disco, sensory play trays, a snow dome and walkabout snow fairies ❄️

Struggling with the crowds? Join us for our alternative in tree lighting at 7.30pm of our in venue Christmas Tree under the dome 🎄

Take a break from the Belfast City Christmas light switch-on for an enchanting, neuro-inclusive sensory experience designed especially for young children and neurodiverse families ❤️

Free entry, no booking required.

Visit https://www.maywe.co.uk/2ra for details!



Belfast City Council Belfast One Visit Belfast MayWe Yallaa Café

13/11/2024

It is ❤️

To celebrate, MayWe will match the money raised from dog entries to our Crufty Christmas Fashion show this Sunday 17th November in 2 Royal Avenue 🐶

The proceeds will be donated to Animal Connexions who do fantastic work!

For more info & to sign your dog up visit https://cruftychristmas.eventbrite.co.uk

08/11/2024

CRUFTY CHRISTMAS FASHION SHOW 🐾

📅 Sunday 17th November 1pm-3pm
📍 2 Royal Avenue

It's time for the hottest event of the season... It's Crufty Christmas, our annual dog fashion show in 2 Royal Avenue! Hosted by the one and only Barra Best 🎤

Register your stylish pooch for up to 3 catwalk categories: Sleigh Sleigh Sleigh- Christmas Couture 🎄 Seeing Double - Humans & their mini-me's 👯‍♀️ or Red Carpet Ready - Glitz & Glam ✨

Ticketed Event: £3 for dog entrance donated to nominated charity but spectator tickets are free!

Register your dog or book a spectator ticket here 👉https://cruftychristmas.eventbrite.co.uk

This event is presented in partnership with Barkelicious Bakes who are running a dog show from 11am-12.30pm, register here https://buytickets.at/barkeliciousbakes/1457467

Event in aid of Animal Connexions, this event is free to attend but donations are welcomed on the day.



Belfast City Council BARK-elicious Bakes Visit Belfast Animal Connexions Belfast One

08/11/2024

We're thrilled to bring the magical Winter Den programme back to 2 Royal Avenue this year ✨

Starting on Saturday 16th November, the programme is packed with festive fun and there is something for everyone ❤️

Including festive workshops, choir performances, markets, storytelling and film screenings along with sensory workshops and activities 🎄

The programme is now LIVE! Visit https://www.maywe.co.uk/2ra for the full details and to book your tickets 🎟

We'll see you there!



Belfast City Council

✨❄️ WINTER DEN IS BACK❄️✨

We invite you to step into our enchanting Winter Den, returning to 2 Royal Avenue on Saturday 16th November to Tuesday 31st December 🎄

There is plenty to explore including the return of our popular Crufty Christmas Dog Fashion Show on Sunday 17th November 🐾

All ages can get creative with sustainable festive workshops, Christmas carolling, family theatre performances, celebrations from around the world along with the provision of sensory workshops, activities and storytelling 📖

The programme is now LIVE! Go to https://www.maywe.co.uk/2ra to find out more about what's on and book your place for a variety of workshops, events and experiences for all 🎨

Belfast City Council Visit Belfast Belfast One

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween 🎃

The MayWe team had a spooktacular weekend of events in 2 Royal Avenue, Belfast and Dublin - all packed with frights, fun and fantastic energy 👻

We hope you all have a safe and spooky Halloween 🔮