NEWS

The Halfway House Country Pub The Halfway House Country Pub outside Broughshane has been recognised among the very best rural pubs in the United Kingdom after receiving a Highly Commended honour at the Grand Champions of the 2026 Countryside Alliance Awards in London. The prestigious recognition was announced on Wednesday, July 8, at the House of Lords, where the Carnlough Road venue represented Northern Ireland after being crowned Countryside Alliance Northern Ireland Champi

Ballymena Business Excellence Award Sponsors. (From the back L-R): Melanie Christie-Boyle, Ballymena Business Centre, Carol Wilson, Chamber’s Honorary Secretary, Iris Houston, The Adair Arms Hotel, Naomi Taylor Galgorm, Clive Edgar Fuelwise. (Middle Row L-R): Noel Mulholland, Michelin Development Ltd, Sharon Gallagher Pilgrim’s Europe, William Walker Country Garage BMW, Gillian Wilkinson Riada Resourcing, Lisa Walsh Clarke, Laura Hughes, Power NI. (Front Row L-R): Michael B

The Essence Vault is set to sponsor the Open Race at this year’s Armoy Road Races. Pictured at the firm’s headquarters in Randalstown are, from left, Neil Kernohan, road racer, Bill Kennedy MBE, AMRRC Director, Connor Martin, The Essence Vault Managing Director and William Munnis, AMRRC Clerk of Course. A fast-growing County Antrim business with a global customer base has signed up to support one of Northern Ireland’s best-known motorcycle road racing events, with The Essenc

Most people in the UK are not getting enough fibre, despite it being linked to a lower risk of bowel cancer, and Marks & Spencer is hoping to change that with a nationwide campaign backed by Bowel Cancer UK. Running throughout July and August, the retailer has launched its Better with Beans campaign alongside a complete refresh of its beans and pulses range, making products such as chickpeas, green lentils, butter beans and kidney beans available in glass jars from just 55p.

Invest Northern Ireland support has helped secure £20 million of business investment across the Mid & East Antrim Borough Council area over the past year, with 106 new jobs set to be created as a result. New performance figures for 2025/26 show investment in the borough more than doubled compared with the previous year, with Invest NI providing more than £4 million in support to businesses to drive innovation, improve productivity and expand operations. The latest results hig

The Glensway Bar in Martinstown The owners of the Glensway Bar in Martinstown have issued an emotional appeal to the local community, warning that the future of the village pub is at risk unless customer support increases. In a candid message shared with customers, the family-run business said it has spent months debating its future amid mounting financial pressures, describing the post as both “an immediate warning” and “a cry for help”. The appeal comes as many independent

Brendan Gallagher, Key Account Executive, Diageo; ​Steven ​Davidson, Commercial Investment ​Manager, Diageo; Megan ​Armstrong, General ​Manager, ​Belfast International ​Airport; ​Chris ​Annon, Company Director, Mount ​Charles. Passengers travelling through Belfast International Airport are increasingly choosing a final taste of familiar Irish brands before take-off, with sales of Guinness, Rockshore and other Diageo draught products surging by 53% at the airport’s Northern Qu

Pupils from Ballymena Dance Academy are set to take centre stage next week to compete at the Dance World Cup 2026 in Dublin following a sponsorship boost from local hospitality group, Galgorm Collection. Pictured with the pupils are (L) Lynsey Gordon, Chief Operating Officer at Galgorm Collection and (R) Greg Warner from Logans Executive Travel. Fifty-one young dancers from Ballymena are preparing to compete against some of the best talent from around the globe after receivin

Businesses across Northern Ireland are reporting lower levels of concern about their energy bills and greater confidence in their suppliers, according to new research published by the Utility Regulator. However, despite signs of improvement, around one in five businesses remain worried about the cost of energy, underlining the continued pressure facing many firms as prices remain significantly higher than they were before the pandemic. The findings come from the Utility Regul

Viewing Gallery at Swim! Newtownabbey Olympic swimming legend Becky Adlington is bringing her fast-growing children’s swim brand to Northern Ireland for the first time, with a £1 million-plus investment set to create up to 50 jobs in County Antrim. The four-time Olympic medallist and television presenter has confirmed plans for a purpose-built children’s swim centre in Newtownabbey, with construction expected to begin next month ahead of an autumn opening. The new facility, k

The Junction, Antrim, has rallied local businesses Murdock Builders Merchants & Home Centre and Shannon Site Solutions along with Brackenwood Property & Estate Management to restore Women’s Aid’s Safe Haven Garden following recent storm damage. A vital sanctuary for women and children escaping domestic abuse in Antrim has been restored after local businesses joined forces to repair storm damage that threatened the privacy and security of the space. The Safe Haven Garden at th

L-R: Shannon Brown, Spa Manager, Salt Spa; Carl McGarrity, Director of The Salthouse Hotel; and Elizabeth Dillon, Guest Experience Manager, The Salthouse Hotel. A £5 million investment has transformed one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive hospitality destinations into a fully realised luxury wellness retreat, with the opening of a major new spa creating 30 additional jobs and completing the final phase of development at The Salthouse near Ballycastle. The launch of the n

The refurbished Greenvale Street, a key pedestrianised thoroughfare in Ballymena that enhances accessibility for pedestrians and visitors. Ballymena is celebrating 400 years of history this year, marking four centuries of growth, industry and community spirit in one of Northern Ireland’s best-known market towns. The milestone comes at a time of significant change for town centres across the UK, with traditional retail facing increasing pressure from online shopping, changing

Hayley Barr LMP, Denise Mayo LMP, Paul Truscott GM Harbourview Hotel, Kelli McRoberts, Annie McSparron, and Jacqueline Dickson A hospitality programme delivered in Mid and East Antrim has helped local residents secure jobs, gain recognised qualifications and take their first steps towards launching businesses of their own. The latest Hospitality Taster Programme, delivered by Carrickfergus Enterprise in partnership with Mid and East Antrim Labour Market Partnership and Clanmi

Martin Engineering Supplies founder Clifford Martin, with son Scott, managing director (centre), and members of the MES team. For more than a quarter of a century, one Ballymena business has quietly built a reputation not only for supplying engineering products across Northern Ireland, but for doing business the old-fashioned way — through trust, relationships and hard work. Today, Martin Engineering Supplies is celebrating 26 years in business and looking ahead to an ambitio

(L-R) Isobel Harris, Maria Cairns, Brenda Stewart, Mark Killough, Hannah McDowell, Joanne Mooney, Bri Carleton, Nicholas Porter, CJ Hayes, David Glass and store manager Kevin Killough. A Ballymena convenience store has been recognised as one of Northern Ireland’s top fundraising Centra outlets after helping raise thousands of pounds to support vital cancer detection services across the region. McCool’s Centra Ballymena raised £2,389 for Action Cancer during 2025, earning reco

Land-based Engineering students from CAFRE visited McCauley Trailers to expand their learnings in machinery manufacturing. Students studying land-based engineering at CAFRE were given a firsthand look at modern manufacturing during an educational visit to McCauley Trailers in Toomebridge, offering valuable insight into the technology, skills and career opportunities that drive one of Northern Ireland’s leading engineering businesses. The visit allowed Level 3 Land-based Engin

Marks & Spencer’s is latest food-on-the-move innovation, the new Chocolate, Strawberry & Pistachio Creme Sandwich Marks & Spencer is bringing back its hugely popular Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich after it sold more than one million units in just five weeks last summer, while also launching a brand-new chocolate and pistachio version in time for Wimbledon. The retailer announced the return of the fan-favourite sandwich alongside the launch of its new Chocolate, Straw

Wellington Street, Ballymena A Mid and East Antrim councillor has called for a “fresh pair of eyes” to help drive town centre regeneration across the borough. Speaking at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Environment and Economy Committee at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening, Braid DUP Alderman William McCaughey called for an independent expert to be included on a proposed new town centre taskforce. Alderman McCaughey said the taskforce is “something t

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with George Healy (Go Succeed, Belfast City Council), Prof Thomas Cooney (Technological University Dublin), and Marty McLaughlin (Disability Action) to launch this year’s programme. People with disabilities across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to turn their business ideas into reality through a specialist entrepreneurship programme that is now open for applications for a second year. The Self Employment for Persons wit