It would be better to restore the Titanic Pump House in Belfast than make it a distillery

A letter from Hyland Mitchell:
This distillery at the Titanic Pump House would cast an alcohol shadow over the ship  workers a century ago, which would not be fairThis distillery at the Titanic Pump House would cast an alcohol shadow over the ship  workers a century ago, which would not be fair
This distillery at the Titanic Pump House would cast an alcohol shadow over the ship workers a century ago, which would not be fair

I am totally opposed to building a distillery in our remaining artefact connected with the Titanic, the dry dock Pump House.

1. Tourists from all over the world come to Northern Ireland to see two of the greatest must sees, the Giant’s Causeway and the Titanic history.

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For years to come we will be denying tourists if this plan goes ahead the experience of seeing and touching the Pump House as it was to empty the dock, to lay the keel for the largest ship in the world, the Titanic, and to marvel at the engineering skills the workers had one hundred years ago. The Titanic is the interest not a distillery.

2. This distillery would cast an alcohol shadow over the workers, which would not be fair to people in those days. Tee-totalism was very much alive in the mission halls and churches abstinence societies at that time, ‘catch me pal’ etc.

3. A mezzanine floor would hinder forever maintaining and restoring to working order these great pumps. What attraction that would be. This short sighted venture must be stopped when the Titanic is a pile of red dust in the bottom of the ocean nine miles down, the Pump House and dock will be the only visible pictures to anchor tourist minds in the development of the era of the big ships and the Titanic.

4. Finally I would remind Belfast City Council that in this permission there is a spiritual dimension. This history must be handled with God fearing care.

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The Titanic was warned by other ships of icebergs but they didn’t take heed and a terrible judgement fell. Pride had taken over, they didn’t want to be bothered by warnings.

In this permission Belfast City Council is promoting alcohol consumption with all its health and social problems.

Pride is against God and his commandment and his Holy Bible and will bring judgement on our city.

Two passengers holding on to debris in the icy waters, one a pastor from Scotland, he shouted to a Swedish sailor ‘Is you soul saved?’, the pastor succumbed to the icy waters and the Swedish sailor got saved.

Don’t distil in the Pump House is my advice.

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Instead, seek government help to restore it. Every generation needs this message.

Hylands Mitchell, Covenanter Cottage, Ballycassidy, Ballinamallard

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