NEWS

A home in Larne was ransacked after intruders forced their way inside during a burglary on Wednesday evening. Detectives are appealing for witnesses and CCTV footage following the incident in the Main Street area of Larne. Police received a report of the burglary shortly after 10.15pm on Wednesday, July 1. Officers who attended the scene discovered damage had been caused to the property’s front door before access was gained to the interior of the house, which had been extensi

“Failure to effectively manage bonfire-related activity across the borough” has been identified as a potential risk for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. The issue has now been added to the local authority’s corporate risk register, which is monitored by the senior management team on a quarterly basis. The proposed addition was presented for consideration by councillors, behind closed doors, at a meeting of the council’s Audit and Scrutiny Committee in May. Minutes of that

The chair of the Northern Ireland Housing Council has underlined the importance of resolving Northern Ireland’s housing crisis in a bid to build stronger communities. Knockagh Alliance councillor Aaron Skinner, who is also a member of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service there are approximately 50,000 applicants on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s waiting list across Northern Ireland. At the end of March

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

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

Rent a garage: Housing Executive garages are available to rent at sites across Mid and East Antrim. People across Mid and East Antrim are being offered the chance to rent secure garage space for little more than £12 a week, as the Housing Executive makes a number of garages available in Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. The garages, which are available to both Housing Executive tenants and members of the wider public, are being offered at a weekly rental rate of approximat

Planning permission has been approved by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for a proposed new bingo hall at Murrayfield Shopping Centre in Larne town centre. The proposal involves the change of use of a vacant retail unit, formerly occupied by Poundland, into a bingo hall and adult gaming centre at the Point Street premises. A development management officer’s report noted that 21 letters of support and three letters of objection were received. One objection came from Toal’s

Air Ambulsnce NI departing from the scene of the serious collision in Larne. Image: Jason Bain A motorcyclist remains in a critical condition in hospital following a serious road traffic collision in Larne on Sunday afternoon. Police have launched an appeal for witnesses and footage after a motorcycle and a van were involved in a collision in the Circular Road area of the town. The incident occurred shortly before midday and prompted an emergency response from police and the

Pictured at The Ecos Hub are: (l-r): Dwain Steele of Hampton Conservatories; Paul Blahyj of Toyota Lean Management Centre; David Greer, Operational Excellence Manager at Invest Northern Ireland; Simon McKee, Operational Excellence Coach, Invest NI; Mark Hutchinson, CEO of Hutchinson Engineering; Ryan Black, Director of Growth and Major Projects at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council; David Watson, Chair of the MTF Network and Julian Ball of the Toyota Lean Management Centre.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon launched the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Performance Improvement Plan 2026/27 Recycling performance has fallen, town centres are perceived to be in decline and almost half of households across Mid and East Antrim are affected by long-term health conditions or disabilities. Those are among the challenges identified by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council as it unveiled a year-ahead improvement plan that includes a maj

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has raised concerns over the potential cost of proposed animal welfare changes that could require pet cats to be microchipped. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is carrying out a public consultation on a series of proposed reforms to animal welfare policy in Northern Ireland. The department is seeking views on measures including increased dog licence fees, the regulation of rescue and rehoming organisation

(L-R) Sarah McLaughlin, Executive Director for Health, and Catriona Delargy, IMPACTAgewell Team Leader, Agewell Partnership For many older people across Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus, support for better health and wellbeing is increasingly being found not just in a doctor’s surgery, but through local community groups, advice services and social activities designed to reduce isolation and improve quality of life. That approach was placed firmly in the spotlight this month

GP practices across Mid and East Antrim are now caring for thousands more patients than they were a decade ago after the borough lost one in four surgeries, new official figures reveal. New General Medical Services statistics published by the Business Services Organisation and NISRA show the number of GP practices in Mid and East Antrim has fallen from 28 in 2014 to 21 in 2026 — a reduction of 25 per cent. Yet during the same period, the number of registered patients increase

Ten brave volunteers stepped over the edge of one of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable buildings at the weekend, taking on a dramatic abseil down Belfast’s Europa Hotel to raise vital funds for older people across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. The fundraising challenge, held on Sunday, 7 June, saw participants descend the side of the iconic city-centre hotel in support of Agewell, helping to generate much-needed income for services that tackle loneliness, improve wel

James McHenry (1817-91) pictured in Paris on railroad business, 1861. (Image: Carte de visite, James McHenry, 1861 – Allegheny College Library Special Collections) A powerful 19th century financier who once moved in the same circles as some of the biggest names in American industry has been largely erased from history for more than a century — but groundbreaking new research is now bringing his extraordinary story back into the spotlight. Historian Dr Barry Henderson is se

Adrian Davis of Ballygally based consultancy firm AD Sustainability which is planning to double in size as it expands into the Republic of Ireland as demand for sustainability expertise continues to surge. The company received assistance from the Go Succeed business support service A County Antrim environmental consultancy is preparing to double the size of its business as growing pressure on companies to cut costs, reduce emissions and meet stricter sustainability expectatio

A planning application has been submitted to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for a proposed children’s go-kart fun ride area at Carnfunnock Country Park, outside Larne. The application was lodged by an agent on behalf of Ian and Christopher Lough, operators of Carnfunnock Family Fun Zone, which operates independently within the country park grounds. Ian said the proposal, currently under consideration by the council’s planning department, would be situated beside the exis

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has appointed a new mayor and deputy mayor for the year ahead, with Bannside DUP Alderman Thomas Gordon taking on the borough’s top civic role and Carrick Castle Ulster Unionist Councillor Bethany Carson-Ferris named as deputy mayor. The appointments were confirmed during the council’s Annual Meeting at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening, June 1, marking the beginning of a new civic

Bannside DUP Alderman Tom Gordon and Carrickfergus Castle Ulster Unionist Councillor Bethany Carson-Ferris The mayoral role in Mid and East Antrim will return to the DUP at the borough council’s annual general meeting taking place this evening (Monday, June 1) at The Braid in Ballymena. The borough’s new first citizen is expected to be Bannside Alderman Tom Gordon. The incoming deputy mayor is expected to be Carrickfergus Castle Ulster Unionist Councillor Bethany Carson-Ferri

Ethel Blair, centre, with Gail Caldwell, Asda Larne Community Champion, McGee's butcher Conor O'Cleary, Serena Quigley, front right and Serena's dad Jim Steele, who also works on the McGee's counter at Asda Larne A Larne woman who has spent more than a century watching the world change around her has marked her 100th birthday with a royal letter from the King, a hand-delivered gift from the Lord-Lieutenant’s office — and flowers from the supermarket team who have become part