NEWS

Antrim and Newtownabbey councillors have been asked to consider suspending car parking charges on Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas in a bid to boost town centre trade. In 2020, the council approved free parking at Market Square Car Park in Ballyclare on each Saturday during December. The local authority is now seeking to extend this initiative by offering free parking on every Saturday this December at all council-owned car parks in the borough where charges currently app

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday falling on 28 November and 1 December this year, shoppers across Northern Ireland are gearing up for some of the biggest online retail events of 2025. Many retailers have already launched early discounts, but the Consumer Council is warning that delivery delays, lost parcels and damaged goods remain common issues for online shoppers. Fra Maguire, Head of Postal Services at the Consumer Council , highlighted the scale of online shopping in No

Dougies Goodies, one of Northern Ireland’s best-loved bakery brands, has officially launched in the Aelia Duty Free store at Belfast International Airport, giving departing passengers the chance to enjoy a “taste of home” before they fly. The Ballymena-born bakery — recognisable for its vibrant pink branding and famous iced treats — now offers its signature cakes, traybakes and bakes to travellers looking to take a little piece of Northern Ireland with them on their journey.

Belfast Harbour Secretary of State Hilary Benn has praised a landmark £100 million offshore wind investment during a visit to Belfast Harbour, where two of the largest planned wind farms in the Irish Sea are set to be assembled. The visit comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced at COP30 that the project could create more than 300 jobs, following the major agreement by joint venture partners JERA Nex bp and EnBW to lease Belfast Harbour’s offshore wind terminal.

L-R Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland; Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland Lidl Northern Ireland has confirmed a combined spend of more than £5.5 million on goods and services sourced from suppliers and business partners across both the Mid and East Antrim and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council areas, according to its newly published Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report. The latest annu

Ulster Unionist Party Economy Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA has criticised the Finance Minister’s latest update on Northern Ireland’s business rates review, warning that the proposals offer “yet more reviews rather than delivering tangible support now” for firms already under intense financial strain. Her comments follow a statement in the Assembly from Finance Minister John O’Dowd , who outlined plans to accelerate the strategic review of business rates, enhance Small B

Classroom Assistants at Castle Tower School, Hong Cassley, Gemma Moore and Vicky Balmer, with Maggie Anderson, team leader at SPAR Grove Road, Steven Henry, store manager at SPAR Grove Road and assistance dogs Percy and Nico.   SPAR Grove Road has continued its commitment to supporting local education by donating 165 chocolate bars to Castle Tower School in Ballymena as part of its Classroom Assistant Appreciation Day celebrations. The gesture is the latest in an ongoing part

Pictured launching the new ‘Perfect for…’ range of potatoes are (from l-r): chef, Stephen Ferris, Mary McKillop, Glens of Antrim Group, and potato grower, Stephen Christie who farms in Newtownards. Glens of Antrim Group has unveiled a major £250,000 investment in a new retail potato range designed to remove the confusion many shoppers face when choosing the right potato for their favourite dishes. The Cushendall and Ballymena-based agri-food group – which produces potatoes, c

Cranmore’s James Galbraith pictured with Cranmore’s two awards for Young IT Professional of the Year and Mobile App of the Year. A software developer from Broughshane has secured one of Northern Ireland’s top technology honours after being named Young IT Professional of the Year during the 2025 Belfast Telegraph IT Awards. James Galbraith, aged 25, took home the coveted award at the high-profile ceremony held in The MAC, Belfast, on Friday 14 November. The Cranmore developer

NewPower, the repowering division launched by Ballymena-based zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus in 2024, has announced a groundbreaking EV-to-EV Repower agreement with leading operator Metroline. The deal marks the first time NewPower will upgrade an existing electric fleet with state-of-the-art EV technology, positioning the company at the forefront of Europe’s transition to greener public transport. Under the contract, 28 Metrodecker electric buses—previously hindere

Robert Scott from KCA Motors, winner of the Best Marketing Campaign (Independent Dealer) Award at the 2025 NI Motor Industry Awards, presented by Valerie Ludlow from award founders ASG . Ballymena-based KCA Motors has driven away with one of the top honours at this year’s Northern Ireland Motor Industry Awards, securing the coveted Best Marketing Campaign (Independent Dealer) title. The independent dealer was among dozens of businesses recognised at the prestigious ceremony,

A County Antrim engineering company has been fined £10,000 after a worker suffered severe foot injuries during an unsafe lifting operation at its Coleraine premises. Maine Surface Finishing Ltd was sentenced today at Laganside Crown Court, Belfast, after earlier pleading guilty to a single health and safety offence following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI). The court heard that the incident took place on 29 August 2023, when an

(L-R) David Jackson, CEO of Causeway Coast and Glens District Council, Ellvena Graham, Chair of Tourism NI, Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Chief Championships Officer at The R&A, David McMullan, deputy chair of the championships committee at Royal Portrush Golf Club and Aine Kearney, Director of Events at Tourism NI announce that £280 million in economic benefit was provided to Northern Ireland by The 153 rd Open at Royal Portrush. The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush has generated an ex

Asda Antrim trolley porter, Tony Burns Customers at Asda Antrim say they are “in safe hands” thanks to porter Tony Burns , whose quick thinking and kindness have earned him a reputation as a car park hero. The father of seven, who has worked at the store for almost a decade, has helped a string of customers in need — from changing tyres to rescuing a baby accidentally locked in a car. Tony, described by colleagues as someone who always “goes the extra mile”, has become a fam

Dobbies’ Senior Plant Buyer, Claire Bishop, with Poinsettias. (Images: Stewart Attwood Photography) Dobbies’ Lisburn and Antrim stores are ushering in the festive season with the arrival of their highly anticipated annual delivery of poinsettias. The popular garden centre chain is expecting strong customer demand this year, particularly for the traditional red variety, as nostalgic Christmas décor trends continue to dominate. The delivery marks the start of a blooming festive

Pudsey and Asda Antrim's Ashley Ritchie visited local schools in aid of BBC Children in Need Colleagues at Asda Antrim have helped raise an impressive £2,100 for BBC Children in Need after teaming up with customers and local schools to support the annual charity appeal. The fundraising effort was led by the store’s Community Champion, Ashley Ritchie , who organised a series of activities including tombolas, raffles, in-store bucket collections and visits to nearby primary sch

Meat and other foodstuffs are among the items most frequently stolen from shops in Mid and East Antrim, according to crime prevention officer Paul Black. The PSNI officer told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that there has been “a big increase in shoplifting” in the borough since the pandemic. “There are two types – those who are desperate for food and those who are stealing to order,” he said. Speaking at a public meeting of the Mid and East Antrim Policing and Comm

Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) Organised Crime Branch have taken part in a major UK-wide crackdown on organised crime groups exploiting high street businesses, as part of the second phase of Operation Machinize. The National Crime Agency (NCA)-led initiative, supported by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), brought together police forces and partner agencies across the UK for a month-long intensified period of action throughout October

The famous pink brand of Dougies Goodies has officially arrived at Applegreen Lisburn Southbound, bringing a burst of colour — and a lot of sweetness — to one of Northern Ireland’s busiest service stations. The collaboration, launched on Friday 14 November, sees Dougies Goodies’ signature cakes and bakes now available at Applegreen’s Lisburn South services. The partnership pairs Applegreen’s convenient, on-the-go offering with Dougies’ fun, playful identity and the distinctiv

With the much-anticipated opening of Primark expected to draw significantly higher footfall, Fairhill Shopping Centre Management has announced the introduction of a new pay-on-arrival parking option to help ease congestion during the busy period. In a message to customers, management said they had been “reviewing the parking system and have added the option of paying on arrival when you park at the Centre”. The change, they explained, aims “ to help reduce queues at payment