Why Should We Save Allster?
Over 350 responses
Why Should We Save Allster?
Our kind friend, Pilot.NI on TikTok asked his followers to show some support for Allster in the light of Belfast International Airport having served notice on us to leave at the end of February 2024. The response was overwhelming, with over 350 people sharing their thoughts and opinions.
Here they all are in their raw form - great to see some Airport fans hate voting 😂
The Responses
Why should Allster be saved?
| It is the best store in the airport. It supports local businesses and shows the best local crafts and food. The staff are always lovely. |
| Allster is clearly the busiest shop in the airport, it really doesn't make sense to force out a good store that, quite frankly, temporarily distracts you from how horrible the rest of the "international" airport is. |
| Allster is without a doubt the highlight of the airport. Not only does it support local business and support the tourism industry in Belfast, it allow you take something truly special away from your trip. It is pretty much the only shop worth going to in the airport. |
| Because it supports our locals |
| Great for tourists to get there last bits of Northern Ireland before they leave |
| By not being shut |
| It’s a unique shop supporting local businesses |
| Best shop with local produce |
| Best in the airport true image of home |
| It’s the best shop there |
| Promoting local businesses can only b a positive for our small country |
| Fabulous outlet for local artisans to showcase their wares |
| Seeing products that are produced within Northern Ireland being sold in the airport is a must. |
| Absolutely amazing business, supporting our local community of artists and craft makers and the such. Will be such a huge loss for the people of NI involved with it ! Not to mention the tourists will have to buy auld tat in the other shops, not the great moments and such offered here. |
| Great for tourists to get the last few souvenirs |
| Their gifts are great |
| Supports local businesses and represents the local culture in NI instead of global corporations/shops |
| It’s has local business and most airports would not promote this |
| It’s lovely to have local gifts that can be bought at the airport and support local business |
| Barely any shops in the airport. Always good for picking up wee bits. |
| A great place to buy authentic souvenirs |
| Unique shop |
| Local businesses being given a platform for anyone to identify, love and also invest raising the profile of NI but also bringing local business to the forefront of specific markets. Allster is giving all business a platform to succeed alongside free advertising. |
| Because unlike a lot of heartless, this airport has always had a vibe of heart because Allster stocks locally made things that tells people who come through the airport what the city is all about. It’s people. That’s such a rare delight to come across. Please please don’t become like every other airport |
| Great opportunity for local independent products to purchased and showcased in peoples homes across the globe. |
| It’s great opportunity to display and sell ni produce made locally by small businesses |
| It is the best business in Belfast International Airport. Everyone loves local! |
| For locals and tourists alike, it brings the charm of this country to the full airport that international is |
| Support local businesses through a cost of living crisis |
| Promotes local small businesses that could potentially propel said business further |
| why? it's an independent shop selling local produced products , not overpriced generic franchised rubbish |
| Great shop show casing some of irelands best small businesses |
| It's an amazing shop. Great for tourists and locals alike |
| Great gifts for travellers and supports local tourism and local craft industry. The airport needs it and not a raft of chains. Aldergrove is an embarrassment to me as its first thing people see when they arrive to NI and it’s a duno- dump |
| Honestly, without details of the issue it’s difficult to comment, if it’s a genuine issue the details would be made clear, otherwise it seems dodgy. |
| Allster supports local businesses, it is the most unique shop that is in any airport in the UK by far. Airport management and outdated and old fashioned. Need to run the airport better. People are always giving off online about the airport and they blame the passengers do just giving off but they don’t even look inwards at themselves to understand why they are complaining about the airport in the first place!!!! |
| It’s gives travellers and tourists a taste of Ireland as well as a great gift shop! |
| It's a mainstay store for the airport and provides the public what they need and want while travelling. |
| Because it’s a local business |
| It supports local businesses and products! Why shouldn't it stay?! Support local and our local economy. |
| It has a large selection of wonderful products from local artists and producers. I have purchased from it many times whilst travelling through the airport. |
| Great support of local business |
| Supports local businesses |
| Supports local business and good way for someone to get something last moments in NI |
| It’s important for independent stores supporting local produce and businesses to be supported |
| Helping local companies |
| It's great |
| Because it represents the best of N.Ireland |
| They support N.I. small businesses by selling unique products in their store. Locals and tourists can purchase beautiful gifts in the shop to bring home or abroad. Doesn’t make any sense to shut this novelty shop down which is unique to N.I. culture. |
| Great for locals and visitors. |
| Great shop especially for tourists |
| It’s just Northern Ireland in a shop a tourists dream dumb to shut down |
| Lovely shop selling worthwhile gift items. Supports local artists and businesses. Great to spend time in whilst in the shitty airport |
| Local brands should be promoted |
| An authentic Northern Irish Gift shop. Unlike the other twee tat sold in other shops. |
| It sources local products and is the best shop in the airport! |
| Support local people, it’s something different, not tat, and not supporting a chain! |
| Offers something different from the other airport retailers |
| They support many small business |
| Supporting local small businesses and creatives |
| It is selling local brands and crafts from local businesses with great products which are great for tourist souvenirs and as gifts. We need to support and shop local |
| Best shop in the international airport and a real show of what ni has to offer |
| It's original and great place for last minute gifts |
| Because they support businesses! Are the best!! |
| Nobody wants more duty free space or WHS. Allster supports local businesses with locally created products. |
| Lovely shop, lots of variety, owner is a lovely guy |
| This shop is the reason I choose to come to the international airport. I have heard people from all over the uk talking about it. It provides vital support and exposure for many small NI businesses. It must stay!!! |
| Supports small local businesses |
| Most unique shop there |
| I travel every week I like to pick up local pieces to take to people it’s so much better now than a bottle of duty free. |
| Unique Local Shop |
| It offers local things and its not a huge corporation like starbucks!! |
| Yes all local shops should be saved |
| Perfect shop for picking up gifts |
| It can be very difficult for small businesses to grow a customer base and gain exposure, allster is a fantastic opportunity helping to grow so many local businesses |
| It’s a great shop that supports local businesses and has something for everyone |
| Lovely little shop, very friendly owner and brings a taste of home to the airport just before you head off. Perfect for gifts too! |
| Great for last minute gifts from local creators |
| One of the few nice shops there |
| Belfast international airport in its current state needs every asset it has |
| Definitely the best shop in the place! |
| A showcase for local talent and it helps those who can’t afford a stand alone shop front. We need to keep ‘physical’ shopping alive. |
| Allster is a wonderful shop with fantastic products created by local artisanal businesses and artists. It’s great to find unique gifts or just to treat yourself. You don’t simply get tatt or cheap plastic rubbish from China - as can be found in the other shops in the airport. |
| I don’t understand what happened. Also their never open when I’m going through. |
| Provides a unique platform for independents |
| Fantastic for local businesses |
| Because it supports small local businesses |
| Because it supports local businesses |
| They have great stock and are always so helpful |
| It supports small local crafts people and businesses and provides visitors with a real taste of N Ireland |
| Fantastic shop always buying gifts for people here when travelling! Best shop in the airport! |
| Because it’s a great shop and the best shop in the airport for gifts and local items |
| It’s the only strip selling exclusively northern Irish products in the airport. It helps small businesses and fosters an interest in local products for tourists and increases revenue. It’s the only unique and worthwhile shop in an otherwise dismal airport |
| Sure it's great |
| It supports local artists and celebrates our wee part of the world! |
| Allster is the only thing good or modern about BFS! A great shop with friendly staff which is all about supporting local businesses. |
| Allster provides a modern outlook on a dated a dreary airport showcasing what’s great about this country, leaving a nice taste and potential for return to those leaving the country, rather than the feeling of trying to escape a soviet era prison. |
| local items |
| 100% YES YES YES |
| Great selection, friendly staff |
| As someone from Belfast who lives in Manchester, I foy frequently and love coming Allstar to see the local produce, art, food and friendly service. It makes the airport special in that these items are made local and not from one of the large brands, which dominate the rest of the city free area. |
| It's the best shop in the airport by far. I spend most of my time browsing there and always buy something. High quality souvenirs that support local businesses. It would be mad to close it. |
| Great place to get souvenirs from local businesses |
| Quirky shop promoting loads of local suppliers |
| It’s a great wee shop with loads of souvenirs, not just a boring chain it’s actually unique. Great for tourists and promoting the local area |
| I think it shows the true culture of our wee country and all the beautiful things you see within it. |
| It’s the best shop, the ice cream helps with hungover flights |
| 100% it’s a wonderful store that supports business and has some of the best things in its store |
| Its the only remotely interesting shop |
| Great local business, good for showcasing NI instead of run of the mill shops. It’s the only unique thing about the airport. An INTERNATIONAL one! |
| Promotes local businesses |
| Because it’s the best shop in Belfast Int |
| It supports local crafters and is unique unlike the other big brand names in the airport! |
| Supports local businesses |
| Because it’s a shop supporting local business all around Ireland north and south, could be that when tourists are leaving they can collect a wee souvenir of their journey instead of a bottle of Channel from corporate overpriced duty free |
| It shows the best ni has to offer |
| Supports local artists and businesses in a way the airport does not |
| It’s a great shop to show off what locals have to offer. |
| Local makers deser ve to be preserved at our exit out of international land... its the most obvious place for it |
| It’s promoting Northern Ireland and local businesses. |
| A unique shop that is able to bring something new to travelling customers. As someone that is in the airport numerous times a week it is a nice change from the typical airport shops. |
| Supporting real local businesses in an airport is so important |
| A great shop window for all local Ulster products |
| Helis licsl business great variety of goods. Showcases NI |
| Unique store supporting local business |
| Great shop selling local gifts to tourists and the like |
| Great addition to the airport and supports lots of local businesses! |
| Crew really appreciate the discount on coffee rather than queuing for burnt coffee at other places ;) |
| Allster sells beautiful local products that showcase the best of NI. It’s comforting for locals heading away or lovely for tourists to pick memorable bits up before heading home. |
| It is a great platform for local businesses to reach a broad customer base. It shows tourists some of our best produce |
| Allster is much needed at Belfast International Airport. Belfast/NI is very unique and has a lot to offer. Allster reflects this and should be kept as it makes Belfast Airport stand out. Everything else is generic but Allster is a very unique selling point for the airport. The forced closure of Allster would be sincerely disappointing and incredibly shortsighted |
| Because they support local businesses. |
| Because why not |
| Not only does Allster provide a platform for independent business owners and traders, they also cater to both sides of the community in Northern Ireland; while boosting interest in tourism and the very lucrative market of niche products! |
| Allster is an amazing shop with so much to offer! I’ve bought many gifts from here during my trips home and it offers something more than the usual souvenirs you see. The fact they support so many local artists and small businesses is amazing and something that the airport should be supporting. The airport should be giving this business and all the artists/businesses who’s work they sell this platform as it shows tourists just how much artistically Northern Ireland has to offer. I’m always excited to go into this shop when I visit home and I think it would be a HUGE mistake for the airport to shut down Allster - it’s the only real Northern Irish/Irish shop there and they should be supporting Allster!! |
| It's a great local shop that sell unique items from Northern Ireland |
| It’s a very unique store & really adds character to the airport. |
| Injustice |
| It is a local business selling local goods, we have enough Starbucks and McDonald’s which would no doubt replace it, by loosing this unique business we are loosing the individuality of Belfast international airport and turning it into an unidentifiable run of the mill airport |
| IT’s unique compared to your usual eh smith shops in airport plus supplies many local produce from small businesses |
| . |
| Amazing local products |
| It’s a great shop, really good souvenirs for tourists and people that live in NI, I was really impressed to see it at the airport (I’m there a lot as go back and forth between England) it made the airport seem like a proper international airport not just a bar, Starbucks and Burger King. |
| Great Service who supports local brands and local businesses |
| Great shop with lots of locals brand |
| Represents the best of local produce |
| Genuine store unique to the airport |
| Supporting local is what will make local survive, In turn mea n |
| It’s all about promoting NI! |
| It’s the only shop in the airport where I’d actually buy something. People flying out want to buy gifts from local creators and AllStar is the place to do that. |
| They support local businesses and to harm one company would in turn have a significant Impact to others |
| Great shop before you jet off |
| Local products, more interesting than the usual Duty Free tat |
| Provides something totally unique that I don’t know of any other airports having. And helps support so so many local businesses |
| The products they sell are different and very relatable to Northern Ireland |
| It's a shop that supports our local businesses in NI, it also allows tourists to take home a piece of NI that they can treasure forever! |
| Great range of local produce |
| It’s great for traditional n Ireland products |
| Always buy little bits of home each time I fly through BFS. |
| Locally ran business helping many other local peoples businesses too. |
| Beautiful store, great for gifting, I bought a Christmas jumper that people loved! Non-divisive range of products that reflect NI. Good for browsing as you wait for flight. Honestly, best and most unique shop in the airport! |
| Supports small businesses |
| Unique within the airport |
| Unique products to make memories with |
| Only shop that sell local products |
| Fantastic Staff, great products, epic coffee |
| It supports local businesses |
| Great outlet for locally made products |
| Local produce and products for passengers to enjoy |
| Best shop in the terminal |
| Allster is a great shop for coffee, art and other good souvernirs. Allster also do alot for local charities etc would be sad to see it go |
| Allster is a great shop in the airport with unique and great items/gifts from all over Ulster! The staff are so friendly and helpful! Would be an absolute loss and shame to the airport to close this shop down! |
| It’s a lovely shop and shouldn’t be closed down because someone isn’t happy with it |
| It gives visitors the ability to purchase local goods |
| It’s the best shop in the airport. So much variety from local producers. A brilliant advert for NI! |
| It's a fantastic shop supporting NI businesses. Also sick of newsagents or bookshops and it provides a nice variety of gifts and products |
| Last opportunity for tourists to purchase local products before they fly home. |
| great unique gifts and wares for visitors, Allster supports many local business within its own business! great asset to Belfast airport |
| Its the only interesting shop in BFS and its got great priced coffee for staff |
| Has all the travel things you need whenever you forget them just call in there and it's there |
| It celebrates everything that is great about NI. We don’t want any more generic stores. |
| A great shop supporting independent local shops |
| The selection of products and supporting local business. Not stuff you’d get in duty free and appropriately so. Other airports have independent non-duty free shops |
| It is a great brand serving local business |
| It offers unique local items. Always super friendly staff. |
| It supports local |
| It reflects Northern Ireland as a tourist destination |
| It promotes local business |
| It's a nice wee shop promoting small local business with our wee country. Shop local support local |
| Great wee shop |
| It is a great wee local business |
| It is an amazing wee shop and supports local artist/designers! |
| It allows a little taste of home to be sent around the world. You can get all the other shops in any UK airport. Allister is unique and definitely a selling point for the airport. Hope this can be sorted, would be a shame to see it go |
| Brightens the shithole up |
| Local business |
| Fantastic shop, full of LOCAL art and merchandise. Rivals some of the offerings on the high street in terms of offering unique, locally made gifts and artwork. Would be such a shame to see it closed, as it’s a brilliant place to buy a last minute gift when travelling. Would reflect poorly on Belfast International if the publicised reasons for the closure are true. This is a great opportunity for local people, and one of, if not the only, shops of its type in airports UK-wide. |
| It's thriving shop |
| There is no other shop like it in the airport |
| I don’t |
| Supports local and a great range of products |
| Supports small business in NI and showcases to a wide audience |
| Best place for staff to get coffees not over priced and doesn’t cost an arm or leg |
| Unique shop and a great selection of local produce |
| good wee shop selling local products |
| Well stocked. Friendly staff that actually talk to you. Good products. Good prices. |
| Great gift shop promoting gifts from our wee part of the world |
| It's unique and interesting products |
| It’s amazing to support all the local businesses and shows off the talent in the country to people coming through the airport rather than tacky souvenirs from duty free |
| Great for tourists and ni people living abroad to get local items from local producers all in one place. |
| BFS shouldn't be allowed to get away with forcing you out and Allster is a great store with friendly, welcoming staff. |
| Great selection of local art and products that really showcase Northern Ireland. The staff are knowledgeable and show a genuine interest in what they sell. It’s a great asset to the airport and it’s always where I spend my money when I go through the airport. Great for gifts. |
| Supporting local brands |
| It supports local businesses and it’s the best shop in the airport |
| Great shop to go to when at the airport |
| Character to the airport and novelty gifts |
| Great company supporting local artists and products |
| Local businesses being supported, vs multinational companies through the rest of the airport |
| Supports local business and has quirky gifts unique to Ireland |
| Brilliant for wee quirky gifts and supports locsl |
| Supports local business |
| It helps so many small businesses around country gain some traction. |
| We should support local businesses!!!! |
| Supporting local companies |
| It supports local businesses that definitely need the support and i also pop in every time i fly back to uni |
| It’s a diamond in the mud |
| Very good products |
| Unique to BFS, unlike most generic airport shops. Brings much needed change to BFS |
| It’s a wonderful shop, supporting many local businesses. I have purchased from the shop many times, it’s a great place to buy gifts for those I’m traveling to visit! |
| The only good shop at the airport. |
| I’ve travelled through here a few times, and have purchased items which I have pretty high sentimental value for now, all of which were handmade locally and sold here. It would really be a huge shame to see the shop go and it would be a great loss for everyone travelling through the airport. |
| Because it’s probably One of the best shops in the airport |
| It's the best shop in the airport and supports local artosts |
| The staff are so lovely & friendly, they also have a great selection of local businesses products which adds to the taste of home. Allster is by far the best shop in the airport |
| Great idea supporting local businesses and promoting them to tourists and locals alike |
| Local business with different tastes of NI throughout. Niche and exactly the shop I love |
| Cause it supports local |
| Great wee shop |
| Best shop in the airport. |
| Because it’s an authentic shop showing the best of our wee country! Get rid of the monopoly stores! Save the local businesses! |
| It's part of our Culture selling gifts from around the country. And supporting local businesses |
| Yes |
| Great shop and great for local communities throughout Northern Ireland supporting small businesses |
| Local businesses are having a hard enough time this little shop helps support local suppliers and offers them to a bigger favourite of people they usually wouldn't find available to them. Closing this little shop will put some many small businesses at risk of closure themselves. Providing Irish products to people from all round the world so they can take a little bit of ireland home with them |
| Independent retailers need support |
| It great to have all the local products in one store! Great for tourists too and spreading the word for other local businesses |
| Need to keep variety in shops |
| It’s supporting local businesses. It will also help make the airport more attractive to airlines etc. |
| Because it help local businesses |
| Because it supports so many local businesses |
| Great local products |
| Best local goods |
| Great for local businesses, probably the only shop besides duty free I look in |
| It's the best thing in the airport |
| Great wee shop and the coffee is great 👍🏻 |
| It is very helpful to small businesses and great to get presents from home |
| To help local businesses |
| Anyone travelling out of the airport that didn't get a chance to buy local it's a great opportunity for them |
| Alister supports so many local businesses, I'm sure the airport has plans for yet another UK chain store, god help us if it's another cafe, but we don't need those. We need businesses that support and showcase our local talents and communities exactly like Allster does |
| Because it’s funny, love all the wee bit n bobs and funny cute do da’s you might find around the store. |
| Local shop is better |
| It’s a great advert for NI, it also supports local businesses, these businesses need all the help and support they can muster |
| Great variety having something for gifting that isn't owned by a huge multi nationalor corporate |
| It supports so many local businesses throughout Ireland. Closing this store impacts so many other individuals. |
| They are offering a superb platform for small business and artists in front of an international audience. Enabling these businesses to get seen by a large audience, and providing customers with an interesting genuine product, not mass produced tat for visitors. |
| Supporting local businesses & promoting norn iron traditions to all that travel through the airport. Why not stop duty free from selling the Ireland produce of Guinness? It’s belfast not Dublin!! |
| Best shop in the airport |
| It supports so many small businesses and provides tourists with a good shopping experience |
| My friend business Julie Harron Illustrations supplies to Allster, and I like how they support so many local businesses |
| The only decent shop at Belfast International Airport. Lovely selection of local gifts and produce. Great to see local artists, craftspeople, etc., being represented. A number of friends who have visited me in Northern Ireland have commented that Allster was a great addition to the airport and had bought more gifts than they had planned to because of it. |
| Great shop that supports local businesses |
| To showcase local talent |
| It’s unique and the only decent shop worthy to spend your money. It’s also super relevant for Northern Ireland just makes sense! |
| Unlike the airport Allster supports small businesses and helps lesser known products get on the market. |
| Great local shop for the airport. |
| Great shop lovely staff |
| Great shop promoting local businesses |
| Because it's actually allowing people to buy local things to take home with them |
| Allster supports local businesses when most other stores do not. |
| I always love picking up last minute NI gifts for friends! Would be a real shame to see it go |
| Love it |
| It supports so many local business |
| Showcasing local businesses giving people a real flavour of Northern Ireland |
| I love looking and purchasing all the local brands and products |
| Supports local businesses, shows our culture for tourism. |
| it’s the best wee shop in the whole airport!!! |
| Local brands & organisations by should be supported over multinational chains |
| It's a great shop |
| This is an injustice! |
| Wonderful local made products |
| Great store. Products by local artists. Great for gifts and souvenirs. |
| Allster gives local artists a platform to sell their goods and for international travellers to see the talent that Ireland/Northern Ireland has to offer |
| Has so much variety of pure Irish gifts and memorabilia would be such a big loss for the airport |
| It’s a lovley and convenient store that has everything at the top of your fingers |
| It’s a shop if you are looking something different. |
| It is a great store for all the small businesses it supports and it is unfair for them to be shut down |
| Because it provides great quality at a low price |
| Unique merchandise |
| No reason to get rid of a decent store when there is nothing worth while in the airport |
| It’s the life of the airport incredible shop supporting local businesses not just big cooperation! |
| It’s a great locally owned business which sells local products, supporting and showcasing some of Belfasts best art, talent and local products. |
| Great products at reasonable prices. Perfect way to showcase products made in Northern Ireland and offer people the chance to buy them. Friendly owner aswell who is always very helpful. |
| Amazing store, amazing products, amazing staff |
| It's an institution |
| It has become a cornerstone establishment that honours and highlights Belfast and its community. |
| Good for art and paintings. |
| Local products get international travellers attention |
| Allster is the best shop in the airport. It gives people a great opportunity to discover local products from small businesses from around Ulster and serves as an amazing last impression on travellers leaving Belfast. It's always great to see local businesses being promoted and supported and the removal of Allster would be such a negative step back |
| Helps to promote local businesses to an international audience |
| Supporting local talent and trade should be a priority to a northern Irish business |
| It's a piece of Ireland and northern Ireland. Great gifts for people when going to visit. |
| Let’s face it, Belfast International Airport really doesn’t have much to offer people. It is a bit of a disappointment. With the usual green tourist tatt. Allster provides travellers with the opportunity to see some real Irish crafts, beautiful products really showcasing the craftsmanship and talent we have on this wee island |
| It provides a wide selection of appealing goods, especially for tourists. It provides a comfortable space to look around whilst waiting for your flight and staff are always welcoming and friendly. It generally makes the airport feel more homely. |
| It’s a great shop |
| Local support! |
| Local |
| Best thing in the airport |
| It’s unique,good quality and great for tourists |
| BIA is a terrible airport, and Allster brings it more to life and is the best shop in the airport |
| Because it is a great shop with local products and is ran by good people. They should not be forced out of the international airport. |
| As the international airport is a dire place. It is a struggle to travel through as it is so characterless and doom and gloom. Allster helps to change that and somewhat brightens the place. |
| There is so little else in the airport that provides such a choice of fabulous souvenirs and gifts |
| As it is a shop filled with character, that promotes the work of our locals! |
| It’s literally the only shop worth going to in the airport |
| Showcase for local artists |
| Authentic wares sold by nice people. Surely Belfast airport wants to promote local culture?? |
| Protect local jobs and a great shop |
| Cuz ill ********* whatever **** tries to remove it |
| Great shop, unreal products, happy staff and customer service is brilliant, probably the best in the airport, the shop workers actually talk to you and care about you |
| Support local businesses |
| It's a great showcase for NI goods and a great place for people to purchase them |
| Supports local business |
| Best shop in the airport. Countless people have said the same. So much variety of local products. Great initiative that has been treated unfairly and shouldn’t be forced to close at all |
| Support local business |
| Is brilliant |
| Promoting local businesses |
| It showcases Northern Ireland and Ireland to the world who travel through |
| Quality locally made produce |
| It serves an incredible way of promoting Northern Ireland as a nation but also the individuals that want to shout out about how great it is, but have very little way to promote and sell their products. |
| The best shop air side |
| Great Northern Irish produce |
| Helping small businesses reach customers in the airport not just your standard airport shop but also showcasing ni talent! |
| Great support for local businesses and a bright spot in an otherwise lack lustre airport |
| Allster is a lovely shop with lots of different items especially gift ideas |
| Platform for local products |
| Locally sourced produce helping local people. Great customer service. The only good part of flyi g from Belfast International. |
| Fantastic good quality unique local products |
