NEWS

Victoria Brown, Director of Marketing at Galgorm Collection and Tara Moore, Head of Spa Operations at Galgorm accept the award for Best Spa Weekend at the Condé Nast Johansens in London. Galgorm, Northern Ireland’s premier luxury resort, has secured a series of major international accolades at the World Luxury Awards and the Condé Nast Johansens Awards, reinforcing its status as one of the world’s leading spa and hospitality destinations. The global recognition comes as the

Proudly brought to you by Ballymena BID (Business Improvement District) Ballymena Town Centre is gearing up for a magical festive season, unveiling a vibrant programme of family-friendly events, Christmas characters, charity activities and pop-up entertainment designed to bring joy and festive spirit to the heart of the town. With festive shopping, cosy cafés, vibrant bars and restaurants, and a full schedule of December activities, Ballymena is inviting visitors from near an

Crowned ‘Newcomer of the Year’ at the 2025 British Hairdressing Awards, Chloe Houston of Houston Hair, Ballymena Chloe Houston of Houston Hair has been crowned Newcomer of the Year at the 2025 British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional — a remarkable achievement for the 21-year-old stylist in her first ever entry to the competition. Her win marks a significant milestone, placing her among the brightest rising stars in UK hairdressing. Known locally for

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is set to usher in the festive season with a series of much-loved Christmas Artisan Markets, celebrating local creativity and offering residents and visitors the chance to enjoy seasonal shopping in the heart of their town centres. The markets—now a staple of the borough’s Christmas calendar—will feature an array of local producers showcasing artisan foods, festive bakes, handcrafted decorations and unique gifts. Designed to bring communiti

Councils in Northern Ireland need to enforce a “zero tolerance” policy on vape sales to under-age children amid claims that parents “don’t know where to turn”. That is according to a Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) councillor, who highlighted concerns that children as young as 13 have been able to buy vapes in local shops. The council chamber was urged this week to promote a new campaign clarifying that local councils — and not the PSNI — are the primary authorit

The vacant premises on Church Street in Ballymena town centre Plans have been lodged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council that could see a vacant retail unit on Church Street, Ballymena, transformed into a combined coffee shop and amusement arcade. The application, submitted by Broad Enterprises Ltd of Belmont Crescent, Londonderry, seeks permission for a change of use at 41–43 Church Street from its current retail designation to a mixed café and entertainment venue. Acco

Barr’s Butchers, one of Ballymena’s longest-established family businesses, has officially opened a major new store on Ballymoney Street, marking a significant milestone in its 147-year history. The fifth-generation butchers, founded in 1878 by George Barr, unveiled the expanded premises on Tuesday 25 November, signalling a substantial investment both in the future of the business and in Ballymena town centre. Now led by Managing Director Trevor Barr , great-great grandson of

Tesco customers across Northern Ireland are being urged to help families facing hunger this winter by donating long-life essentials as part of the supermarket’s 13th annual Winter Food Collection. Running from 24–29 November in Tesco Express stores and 27–29 November in larger stores , the UK’s biggest seasonal food drive will support FareShare and the Trussell community of food banks, both of which are preparing for unprecedented levels of demand. Last year alone, generous

The managing director of M&S Food has warned the Chancellor that a recent change to inheritance tax treatment of family farms risks destroying generational businesses and imperilling the UK’s food security. In a direct appeal ahead of next week’s Budget, Alex Freudmann said ministers should “think again on inheritance tax” and adopt practical safeguards to protect genuine working farms. Farming under pressure — and inheritance tax adds to the burden Farmers are already grap

South Antrim MP Robin Swann Ahead of Wednesday’s Autumn Budget, Robin Swann MP has issued a stark warning over the proposed Family Farm Tax, describing it as a “deeply damaging and utterly unacceptable threat” to family-run farms across Northern Ireland. The Ulster Unionist MP stressed the importance of protecting these farms, which he described as integral to both rural communities and local economies. “As I have made clear time and time again, the Family Farm Tax is a dire

Ballymena’s 7 Towers Burgers is rapidly becoming one of Northern Ireland’s most talked-about emerging food brands after securing two major accolades at the NI Food To Go Awards 2025 and continuing to build impressive momentum both online and in the local community. The smash-burger specialist, based in Ballee Community Square, was crowned Newcomer of the Year and received Highly Commended in the Best Burger To Go category. The wins follow their earlier success at the Ballym

Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales World-leading zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus has capped its most successful year to date with another major international accolade — this time for innovation in mobility at the ADS Federal Conference in Germany. The Ballymena-based firm was recognised for its significant advances in hydrogen technology, including its record-breaking fleet currently operating across Germany. The latest honour joins a growing collection of awards presente

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has launched its annual Christmas policing operation, Operation Season’s Greetings, aimed at keeping people safe throughout the festive period and into the New Year. The initiative, unveiled on Monday 24th November, will see increased police visibility and patrols across towns and cities, with a strong focus on shopping districts, nightlife venues and public transport hubs. Both uniformed and plain-clothed officers will be deploye

Pictured from left is Peter McCool, owner, The Phoenix Maxol in Ballymena with Brian Donaldson, CEO, The Maxol Group.  Two Northern Ireland service stations have been recognised among the best in the Maxol network after standout performances at the Maxol Excellence Awards 2025, held during the company’s annual Retail Conference at The K Club. Phoenix Maxol Ballymena Named Store of the Year The Phoenix Maxol in Ballymena is celebrating a major achievement after being crowned S

One of Ballymena’s oldest and best-loved butcher shops will open its newly expanded premises on Tuesday 25 November, marking a major milestone for the long-established family business. Barr’s Family Butchers – first opened by master butcher George Barr in 1878 – has been a cornerstone of Ballymena town centre for nearly 147 years. Located on Ballymoney Street, the historic butchery has served generations of local families and remained in the Barr family across five generation

Around 2,500 new businesses creating over 3,500 jobs have taken off in Northern Ireland over the last two years thanks to the region’s free business support service Go Succeed. The figures were revealed at an engagement event held at Parliament Buildings addressed by Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald pictured, centre, with Chris Moore, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and Marie Ward, Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council More than 1,000 businesses in the Mid & East Antrim bo

Pictured at the naming ceremony for Stena Line’s newest ship – Stena Futura – in Belfast Harbour were (L-R): Captain Colin Fleming; Paul Grant (Trade Director, Stena Line); Deputy First Minister NI Emma Little-Pengelly; Stena FuturaGodmother, Dr Madeleine Olsson Ericksson; Bert Ake Eriksson;  Dan Sten Olsson (Owner, Stena Line), Jane Thorburn Olsson (Olsson family), Niclas Martensson (CEO, Stena Line) and Dr Philip McGarry (Deputy Lieutenant of the Borough of Belfast). Belfas

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.