Giros

2 Victoria Street is where you would have found Giros. A DIY punk inspired performance and social space set up by Petesy Burn and “zinester” Danny as well as a few others involved in the punk scene in 1984. It wasn’t until 1986 where the group founded and opened Giros. The space was a café as well as a social hub and performance space for punks of any age and was inclusive as to allow for escape from sectarianism and bigotry which came from the Troubles. Before the move to Victoria Street in 2011, the original Giros was located on Donegal, a much larger and open space on the Donegal Road but it kept with the ethos of inclusivity that Giros was so heavily based on. It had also seen its fair share of bands come through its doors. Some touring bands that graced its performance included Bluetip, Godflesh, Jawbreaker and Los Crudos. As well as some local bands including Stalag 17 and Toxic Waste. One of the main reasons for why Giros was set up by the Warzone collective was explained by Petesy Burns, “There were not a lot of opportunities for creativity”. With this lack of creative opportunity in the late 70s and with the Troubles in place, the punks of Belfast had the Warzone collective to thank for a safe space such as Giros. As well as gigs and having a its own vegan café, Giros hosted documentary nights as well as a meeting space for various groups in Belfast such as pro-choice and gay rights activists. However, in 2018 the centre was sadly evicted and the building was later demolished.