It has been agreed rename a portion of an historic Armagh street ‘Lipton’s Lane’ in recognition of its history.
Councillors at a meeting of the planning committee heard details of the proposed renaming of an alleyway on Upper English Street from Building Control Services Manager, David O’Prey.
Mr O’Prey explained the proposal pertained to an alleyway providing access to eight properties addressed previously as Upper English Street in Armagh city.
“The applicant’s preferred name for the alleyway is Lipton’s Lane,” he said. “The applicant’s reason for the preferred name is that there was in existence one of the original grocery shops of the Lipton’s brand originally known as Lipton’s Limited.”
To support the application his department had been furnished with evidence “linking this shop to the immediate area as far back as 1907” by the applicant.
He continued: “Whilst the Council’s street naming and numbering policy does not under normal circumstances permit the incorporation of a person’s name into a street name officers feel that given the historical links to the immediate area and no links to the applicant that in this particular case the name Lipton’s Lane would be acceptable.”
The interior of the Lipton store circa 1950 from the Scott collection, supplied by Armagh County Museum
Members heard that the applicant also petitioned each of the current residents – of which there are eight – and “100% of them” responded in support of the alleyway’s renaming and, therefore, also their subsequent change of address.
Over the last number of years, the Council’s Townscape Heritage Initiative in conjunction with the Heritage Lottery Fund have provided significant grant assistance to restore 14-20 Upper English Street in Armagh.
An historic entry between No.12 and No.14 Upper English Street is accessed off Upper English Street and extends along the rear of Nos.2-20 Upper English Street. Some of the new grant aided apartments are accessed off this entry.
The Council is also grant aiding a public realm scheme to improvement of the visual appearance of this entry and to improve the living environment of the surrounding
apartments.
The scheme comprises the resurfacing of part of this historic entry, the provision of a landscaped patio area and the provision of steps linking the entry to the theatre and car park to the west.
This will provide a new link through the city.
Lipton’s was once self-touted as the “world’s largest tea producer” and according to Armagh County Museum, they opened their grocery shop in Upper English Street with a grand ceremony on July 12, 1898.
It remained part of the city’s retail landscape for over seventy years before closing after bomb damage in the early 1970s.
The grocers was located opposite the Ulster Bank and the building is currently occupied by a café and clothes shop.
The renaming would make for a delightful nod to our city’s rich history and help keep Lipton’s lasting legacy alive for many years to come.
The recommendation was made for members to approve. The approval was then proposed by Cllr Scott Armstrong and seconded by Cllr Fergal Donnelly .
