For many people, a little day out to Belfast is never complete without a quick trip into Primark to stock up on cheap socks, basic t-shirts and pyjamas featuring popular Disney characters. 
Personally, I tend to make a beeline for anything Harry Potter related and I find it physically impossible to leave without at least one new candle. We all have slight obsessions that we just cannot break and I count myself lucky that my little habit at least leaves a pleasant lingering smell behind.

It feels like it’s been much longer than just a few weeks when the skyline of Belfast became darkened with thick black smoke. 
On that late August day, thousands of people tuned into various live streams to watch the old Bank Building as it burnt, thankful that there hadn’t been any loss of life or injury, but also awestruck at the sheer destruction that was unfolding before their eyes.
The building that was home to Primark in Belfast was pretty iconic. Even if you didn’t know the first thing about the place other than it was old, it was still clearly an important part of the history of Belfast. 
After the fire, the past of the Bank Buildings became known and many lamented at the thought of losing such a piece of the past: for it to be turned to rubble and replaced with something nondescript. It’s easy to forget that while inanimate, buildings do have character and tell the story of a city in a way that brings it right into the present.
But with all that said, it seems now that the fire has been extinguished, some seem more concerned with preserving what is left of the building rather than putting the life back into Belfast. While it has been deemed structurally sound, some debris has still been falling when the wind has swooped through in the wrong direction and with the first storm of the season forecast for this week, the real integrity will only be known now.
For more than a fortnight, a firm cordon has been put in place around the burnt-out building and businesses in the immediate area have reported a severe drop in trade, with some stating their footfall has fallen by more than half. With the cordon expected to be in place until after Christmas, there are fourteen businesses within it who cannot open at all.
That’s not to say that nothing is being done to try and help those businesses. 
Belfast City Council is working with other agencies to try and find alternative premises for these businesses and to ensure that they will not be left out of pocket for something that essentially amounted to sheer bad luck. 
For businesses still open but noticing a fall in trade, signage has been placed to direct people around the cordon to ensure they can still move around the city centre. Translink too are doing their bit by offering a free shuttle bus that goes from St. Georges Market to the city centre every ten minutes.
Events such as fashion shows and promotional meals have been scheduled and there has also been the launch of the “Your Belfast” campaign which aims to encourage shoppers back into the city.
I’d say that you can’t fault them for trying, but I do see a few issues with all that is going on.
It’s not that I begrudge Belfast having their campaign. I really don’t. Their local economy is certainly going to have taken a hit following the fire and hats off to those trying to make the best of the bad situation, but I don’t think they’re going about it in the best way.
If people want to go to Primark, then put on subsidised shuttle buses for them. The company seem to have been brilliant in looking after their staff and sending them off to other stores despite losing thousands of profit a day with the loss of their flagship store and should be supported for that.
If you look at the list of businesses that are completely closed due to the fire, they include the likes of Tesco, a charity shop, McDonalds and of course, Primark. Only three or four of the shops would be generally considered higher end and are places where you plan to go to rather than just meander into as you’re passing. 
If I was in Belfast and need to pick up groceries or want to see if there are any gems in the charity shops, a free bus to Victoria Square isn’t going to do me much good.
A fashion show showcasing the latest designer trends Belfast has to offer isn’t going to be of much interest to those who focus on affordability rather than ensuring that a print or certain cut is in vogue. 
As the news of the Primark fire broke, many people spoke of how both they and their parents before them had depended on the store’s low prices when times were tough. To see a campaign promoting higher cost clothing must feel a little insensitive to those who now are worrying about where they’ll be buying their winter jumpers and endless pairs of gloves to replace those that keep getting lost in the schoolyard.
We wouldn’t have had the “Your Belfast” marketing campaign had it not been for the Primark fire so I can understand why it is focused on Belfast, but I feel that there’s huge scope to promote the whole of Northern Ireland as viable alternatives. 
We all know that Belfast is still open for business so no amount of cajoling is going to make someone go there if they don’t want to but perhaps those in Belfast aren’t as aware of what other towns across the province have to offer.
The advert lists qualities that Belfast is said to have but it’s nothing unique. Here in Enniskillen, we’re also strong, proud and together. We too have great local music to offer and can offer a great night out. We also love our food, enjoy shopping trips and look out for one another.
We may not have had a fire, but our high street needs support too. Traders have been complaining about high rents and rates for years so there’s quite a high turnover rate of independent shops and small chain branches. 
People go to where the cheapest prices are but small businesses can’t afford to lower their prices to match local competition so they risk losing out on trade. It’s a situation where no-one really wins. If the Belfast campaign is to be a more long-term one, then they should widen it to include everywhere. Promote the highlights of each county and make it accessible to all. 
If Translink brought back open return tickets, I’m sure we’d see a marked increase in people coming here for a weekend break. Some people are understandably cautious of driving in unfamiliar places, especially towns but four hours on a bus in one day doesn’t leave much time for relaxing or shopping.
Belfast may be the city that was dealt the blow, but we all felt it. Rather than solely focusing on the short-term status of Belfast city centre, there’s an opportunity to turn this into a great opportunity that works for everyone.