Bangor, County Down

Bangor, County Down

Coordinates: 54°40′N 5°40′W / 54.66°N 5.67°W / 54.66; -5.67

Bangor (from Irish: Beannchor ) is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a seaside resort on the southern side of Belfast Lough and within the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland, and holds Blue Flag status. In 2007, and again in 2008, the town was voted by Ulster Television viewers as the most desirable place to live in Northern Ireland.

It is primarily residential and can be viewed as a commuter town for the Greater Belfast area, from which it is linked by the A2 road and a direct railway line. Bangor is situated 13.6 miles (22 km) east from the heart of Belfast and thirty minutes by train or bus with George Best Belfast City Airport even closer.

Bangor is part of the North Down Borough Council area and is twinned with the Austrian city of Bregenz, and the US city of Virginia Beach. The current Mayor of Bangor is Councillor Wesley Irvine and the Deputy Mayor is Councillor Marion Smith, elected in June 2012. The town also hosts the Royal Ulster and Ballyholme Yacht clubs. Tourism is important, particularly in the summer months, and plans are being made for the redevelopment of the seafront; a notable building in the town is Bangor Old Custom House. The largest remaining individual land owner in the area is the Clandeboye Estate, located a few miles from the town centre.