Blue Lights: Bar featured in hit BBC series up for sale

Cock and Hens on Lord Street in east Belfast went up in early April via real estate company Whelan Commercial.

What was initially an obscure listing on property websites has grown massively in popularity after the bar was used as a location in the filming of Blue Lights.

Portrayed as The Loyal in the fictional Mount Eden estate, Cock and Hens is the main setting for several scenes in the drama, which sees owner Lee Thompson (Seamus O’Hara) alongside his sister Mags Thompson (Seána Kerslake) and nephew Henry (Alfie Lawless) grapple with a loyalist feud in the estate.

It plays a focal part in one particular storyline in which Thompson aims to give the bar’s ownership over to loyalist leader Jim Dixon before the latter meets a grisly end.

Unlike typical productions, which tend to use an exterior for outside shots and a different location or set for interior, Cock and Hens’ interior and exterior featured in the series.

Blue Lights Series 2 - Trailer

According to the listing, it is described a “long-established community bar in the heart of east Belfast situated just off the Albertbridge Road on a prominent corner site.

“The surrounding area is a densely populated residential area with a significant potential costumer base.”

Estate agent Brian Nixon said the bar has had significant interest since it was featured in the show.

“We have had lots of interest in it, even people contacting us from abroad,” he explained.

“It’s a local community bar, that’s really it. It’s been available since the pandemic when the markets were really affected and bars and restaurants had to close. There are very few bars in the east Belfast area now.

“Featuring in Blue Lights can only help things.”

Further details describe it as a ground floor public bar with seating up to 50 on a range of fixed bench seats and bar stools.

“Internal decorations include a tiled floor and recessed spot lighting within a suspended ceiling. Amenities include a dedicated pool room, keg store and bottle stores, a small office and ladies and gents toilets.”

The upper floor was also used in the second episode of the second series, during a scene in which Lee Thompson holds a marching band meeting.

The listing added that “a covered smoking area is located off the central lobby and has a side entrance onto Thorndyke Street. While the lounge area has an entertainments licence with capacity for up to 110 persons, “ideal for parties and functions”.

According to Property Pal, it had an average of around 11-14 online viewers a day at the beginning of the month when it was first listed on the website.

However, this increased to nearly 200 on April 15 when the second series started.

And three days later, it had nearly 1,500 online viewers in a single day.

Overall, it’s had around 23,000 viewers on Property Pal.

Those who want to take up landlord duties will have to submit an application to find out its price.

Mr Nixon said no offers have yet been made.