The Easter holidays have coincided with the installation of this drainage system which is being sunk several metres into the ground around the outside of the building. All activities inside the building have been postponed until this essential, deep ground work is complete.

The builders have been on site now for nearly 6 months and the work in Phase One of the renovation is rapidly moving along. Every week there are changes to the reshaping of the back of the building where the Hearth, new office space, new kitchen and community host apartments will all be. Storage has been created which will soon be holding all the tables and chairs used for community meal, metal framing has been clad with stud walling, and stairs have been dismantled and moved.

Below are a few slide shows with before and during photos to give you an idea of some of the changes that have been made so far.

In quite a few of the ‘in process’ photos, you will notice that the ceilings have been removed to reveal the most beautiful panelled vaulted spaces.

Apart from the building being closed for the drainage work, activities continue on their usual weekly pattern with exciting events recently such as an interfaith feast at the end of Ramadan and Lent and the Ormeau Community Cinema hosting a showing of Power Station . At the end of this week there is an exciting comedy cage fight event. Keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook pages for other events coming up.

Community Meal continues in our temporary home of the Good Shepherd parish hall just a few blocks up the Ormeau Road. We have been so grateful for the hospitality of our friends there. We’ll keep meeting up there throughout this new term, hopeful of course to be back in The Commons in the Autumn.

Our next exciting milestone will be in May 2026. Things will look a little different in the grounds around The Commons building as we launch our Street Food Hub and Market Stalls. Many of you will already be familiar with the Tiny Tea Tuk Tuk and you would have enjoyed fresh coffee and street rolls there, but there is more to come. Keep an eye out on our socials as you don’t want to miss this new part of the journey!