This weeks ‘Blast from the Past’ was kindly donated by Pauline and Dave Emerson from the collection of Pauline’s late father; Peter Fletcher. It is a menu from the ‘Copelands Restaurant’ on the Belfast – Liverpool ferry ST COLUM I.
The menu probably dates from the period shortly before the Belfast Car Ferries/Belfast Ferries service ended in October 1990 due to the use of the ‘Belfast Ferries’ brand instead of “Belfast Car Ferries’. The company was of course a subsidiary of Irish Ferries parent Irish Continental Group, which is reflected in the company logo on the cover page.
ST COLUM I herself was of course originally Irish Continental Line’s (now Irish Ferries) ST PATRICK of 1972. The Belfast Ferries service was of course later replaced by a new service operated by Norse Irish Ferries, which after several takeovers is now operated by Stena Line using the STENA LAGAN and STENA MERSEY.
For comparison here is a link to the current Stena Line “Met Bar and Grill” menu (pdf file). What a difference almost 30 years makes!
