NEWS

Ballymena Showgrounds Mid and East Antrim Borough Council planners are considering a planning application for a new 3G football pitch and spectator stand at Ballymena Showgrounds. The application has been submitted by an agent on behalf of the council for proposed works at the home of Ballymena United Football Club. The proposal includes the installation of a full-size 3G pitch to replace the existing grass pitch, along with a new 200-seat spectator stand and floodlighting. A

Bin delays affecting four Northern Ireland council areas have been caused by “unprecedented illness” levels, according to Bryson Recycling — the company responsible for kerbside collections. Around 160,000 households are potentially affected by ongoing recycling collection issues across Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Belfast City Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council areas. The issue was raised at a Lisburn and Castl

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford and Chair of the Memorial Committee, Councillor Peter Johnston, officially launching Council’s new War Memorials and Monuments interactive website. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has unveiled a new interactive website that invites residents and visitors to explore the history, stories, and significance of War Memorials and Monuments across the Borough. The platform provides instant access to locations, images, and

Residents across Antrim and Newtownabbey are being invited to celebrate the start of the festive season at one of seven magical Christmas Light Switch On events taking place throughout the Borough from 20–29 November 2025. Each event promises festive entertainment, family fun, and a dazzling light display, creating an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors alike. The celebrations will kick off in Crumlin on Thursday 20 November at the Crumlin Leisure Centre from

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick looks forward to the opening of Enchanted Winter Garden for 2025. Antrim Castle Gardens will once again transform into a festive wonderland this winter as the Enchanted Winter Garden returns from Friday 28 November to Tuesday 30 December 2025 — with even more magic, light and family fun than ever before. Presented by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, this year’s event promises to be the most spectacular

An act of Remembrance at the Ballymena Memorial Park in 2024 A series of Remembrance services and parades will be held across Mid and East Antrim this weekend to honour those who gave their lives in conflict. Residents across the Borough will come together on Remembrance Sunday (9 November 2025) to commemorate the sacrifices made by service personnel during World War One, World War Two, and other conflicts. Ceremonies will take place at War Memorials in Ballymena, Carrickfer

A packed and varied programme of events has been unveiled by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to celebrate Ulster-Scots Leid (Language) Week 2025, taking place from 24 to 28 November. The week-long celebration — supported by the Ulster-Scots Agency — will see communities across Ballycarry, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Cullybackey, Larne and Whitehead come together to honour the borough’s linguistic and cultural heritage through music, poetry, film, storytelling and discussion

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has announced the return of its popular Shop Front Revitalisation Grant Scheme for a third consecutive year, offering a major boost to local businesses in town centres across Ballymena, Larne, Carrickfergus and Greenisland. The initiative, backed by £604,000 in funding from the Department for Communities, aims to transform the appearance of shop fronts and revitalise high streets throughout the Borough. Building on the success of previous s

Max with new owner Molly Piper A landmark case involving a Dundonald dog identified as a Pit Bull type has cost Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) more than £53,000. The council this week released a detailed report following a court verdict earlier this month which confirmed that Max — the dog at the centre of the dispute — was a banned breed under UK law. The case has created what LCCC described as a “precedent” for councils across Northern Ireland, establishing tha

Mid and East Antrim In Bloom Community Awards Winners and Runners-Up Mid and East Antrim’s green-fingered residents, schools, and community groups have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the Borough’s beauty and biodiversity at this year’s In Bloom Community Awards. The special awards ceremony, hosted by the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford , took place at Larne Market Yard and celebrated 19 winners and runners-up for their creativi

Children from Braidside Primary School, Ballymena, were joined by Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, as they enjoyed a Forest School session recently. Primary school pupils from across the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area are embracing nature as part of this year’s Forest Schools Programme, funded by Council and delivered by the Northern Ireland Forest School Association (NIFSA). With support from the Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team, the in

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has announced the cancellation of its popular annual ‘Hallowena’ event at Ballymena’s People’s Park due to forecasted high winds and heavy rain. The decision was made following Met Office warnings of gusts of up to 56mph and persistent downpours on Thursday 30 October, which would make conditions unsafe for both attendees and council staff. A Council spokesperson said the difficult decision was based on public safety concerns: “With such h

Glenarm, County Antrim Mid and East Antrim councillors have voted against introducing additional car park barriers along the Antrim Coast, opting instead to retain the current arrangements. At Monday evening’s meeting of the council’s Environment and Economy Committee, held at The Braid in Ballymena, members agreed to keep the existing barriers in place, with none to be removed. The committee was told that access to some council-owned car parks had previously been restricted

Waterfoot Beach, County Antrim (Image: Angela McIlgorm) Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has endorsed plans to replace the damaged boardwalk at Waterfoot Beach with a compacted dust path. At October’s Leisure and Development Committee meeting, councillors were told that the existing boardwalk, installed in 2015, had deteriorated significantly and now poses safety and maintenance concerns. Members were presented with two replacement options: Option 1: A compacted dust

Belfast City Council has today (Friday October 24) completed the purchase of the historic Assembly Rooms, rear extension and adjacent assets in Cathedral Quarter as part of its ongoing city centre regeneration drive. Belfast City Council has completed the purchase of the city’s historic Assembly Rooms, marking a major milestone in its ongoing city centre regeneration strategy. The deal, finalised today (Friday 24 October), includes the Grade B1 listed Assembly Rooms, its rear

Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena A “significant” number of complaints received by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council during the last financial year related to the cleanliness and disrepair of its leisure centres, a committee report has revealed. The Annual Complaints Report 2024/25, presented to the council’s Corporate Resources, Policy and Governance Committee at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening, stated that maintenance work had been carried out at the spa f

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed action taken by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to remove illegally dumped materials and a burnt-out vehicle from rural roads near Corkey and Glenaan. The DUP representative said he had been contacted by local residents concerned about the growing problem of illegal dumping along the Altnahinch Road, including discarded electrical goods and piles of waste, as well as a burnt-out vehicle along the Glenaan Road and the repeated d

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford is pictured with Isobel Kerr, ReStore Manager for Habitat for Humanity, launching the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's Pre-Loved Toys Scheme. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is once again calling on local residents to donate their pre-loved toys this festive season as its much-loved Christmas Toy Scheme returns for the seventh year running. The initiative, which runs from Monday 27 October to Friday 12 December

Mid and East Antrim is gearing up for a spine-tingling celebration as Halloween approaches, with a packed programme of eerie entertainment and family-friendly fun across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne . From haunted houses and ghost tours to pumpkin patches and spooky storytelling, the borough is promising something for everyone – whether you’re chasing chills or simply after a night of frightful fun. “Mid and East Antrim is your one-stop-shop for all things Halloween,”

Deputy Mayor of Mid & East Antrim, DUP Councillor Tyler Hoey The Deputy Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, DUP Councillor Tyler Hoey, has publicly offered his support to a Portglenone man who has been issued a Noise Abatement Notice by council officers for practising the Lambeg drum. Councillor Hoey explained that the constituent, Gary, had been contacted him at the start of September regarding the noise complaint. “At the start of September, I was contacted by a constituent of mi