NEWS

Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with local author Jan Carson taking the top spot in a chart that reflects a strong appetite for gripping fiction, memoir and practical lifestyle reads. Carson’s newest novel Few and Far Between  leads the list, underlining the continued support for Northern Ireland writers, while bestselling thrillers, cookbooks and contemporary non-fiction round out a diverse and engaging selection for readers this week

(All photographs: Ewan Harkness) A brand-new The Food Warehouse store has officially opened in Ballymena, with 77 eager shoppers already waiting in line before the doors opened on Tuesday morning. The much-anticipated new store, located at Braidwater Retail Park, Ballymena, Antrim, BT42 3AG, welcomed its first customers on Tuesday 14 April, marking a major retail expansion for the town and delivering 23 additional jobs for the local community. In scenes that underlined the le

Primark has officially launched its first-ever mobile app in Northern Ireland, marking a significant digital step for the high street retailer as it brings real-time stock checks, personalised notifications and store information directly to shoppers’ phones for the first time. The move means customers across Northern Ireland can now browse favourite items, check availability before travelling to store and receive updates on new collections — a major shift for a retailer whose

The Team at Elite Lighting & Interiors in Ballymena Elite Lighting & Interiors marks 25 years as one of Ballymena’s best-known home and lighting retailers, celebrating a quarter-century in the town centre with a special anniversary sale and a renewed focus on growth. The long-established Church Street business, which first opened in Easter 2001, is marking the milestone by thanking customers for more than two decades of support and inviting shoppers to join in celebrations r

Ballymena shoppers are set to get a major new retail addition next week as The Food Warehouse opens its doors at Braidwater Retail Park on Tuesday 14 April, bringing an expanded range of grocery and household products, a jobs boost for the area, and a series of opening-day giveaways. The new large-format store, part of Iceland Foods, is expected to create 23 additional jobs for the local community and marks a significant expansion of the retailer’s presence in the town, wher

Winnie with her three daughters pictured outside Winnie’s 1975, in Broughshane. A much-loved Broughshane café and gift shop is entering a new chapter this week as the family behind Winnie’s 1975 prepares to hand over the keys after ten years at the heart of village life. In an emotional statement issued today, Wednesday 1 April, Winnie, owner of Winnie’s 1975 on Main Street, confirmed that the family has made the difficult decision to step away from the business, with new ow

Church Street in Ballymena Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has backed a motion calling for a town centre taskforce to be established across the borough. The motion was proposed by Coast Road DUP Councillor Andrew Clarke at a council meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, on Monday evening, and seconded by party colleague Larne Lough Cllr Gregg McKeen . Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Clarke said: “I feel passionate about our town centres and that we should be giving it everythi

Inset: North Antrim MP Jim Allister North Antrim MP Jim Allister has formally intervened in the planning process surrounding Ballymena’s proposed new Lidl store, writing directly to a planning officer at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to urge that the application be refused. In a strongly worded letter addressed to senior planning officer Kyle Patterson, Mr Allister said he was writing to “endorse the opposition of local residents” to the proposed St Patrick’s Link Road

Linzi Moore, an outstanding team member at EUROSPAR Cullybackey has taken the crown as the UK’s Sales Colleague of the Year at the prestigious Convenience Awards.  A familiar face in Cullybackey has earned national recognition after being crowned UK Sales Colleague of the Year at the prestigious Convenience Awards in Liverpool. Linzi Moore, a loss prevention co-ordinator at EUROSPAR Cullybackey, secured the top honour against competitors from across the UK — a moment that not

The proposed site for the new Home Bargains store in Antrim, and inset, the newly built Home Bargains store in Ballymena which opened in 2025 Plans for a major new Home Bargains store in Antrim have moved forward after Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council approved a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) submitted by TJ Morris Ltd. The approval marks the first formal stage in the planning process and paves the way for public consultation on proposals to develop a new discoun

Wyse Byse on Church Street, Ballymena A much-loved Ballymena retailer that has been part of daily life for generations is preparing to close its doors after more than half a century in business. Wyse Byse, a familiar presence on Church Street – and before that Wellington Street – will cease trading in the coming weeks, bringing to an end 53 years of independent retailing that has left a lasting mark on Ballymena and beyond. For decades, families from Ballymena and further afi

TJ Morris Ltd, owner of Home Bargains, has acquired the former car showroom site in Antrim and plans to expands its retail footprint Discount retailer Home Bargains is planning a significant expansion in Antrim, with proposals lodged to convert a former car showroom into what would be its 33rd store in Northern Ireland. TJ Morris Ltd, the Liverpool-based company behind the popular discount chain, has submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to Antrim and Newtownabbey

Primark Dubai International fashion retailer Primark has confirmed the next phase of its Middle East expansion, announcing plans to open stores in Bahrain and Qatar alongside its highly anticipated launch in Dubai, bringing the brand’s global footprint to 21 countries by the end of 2026. The expansion follows the successful opening of Primark’s first-ever Middle East store at The Avenues in Kuwait in October 2025, which attracted thousands of shoppers and marked a significant

The Food Warehouse store set to open in Ballymena Ballymena is set to welcome a major new retail arrival, with The Food Warehouse , part of the Iceland Food Group, preparing to open its newest Northern Ireland store in the town. The Ballymena outlet will be the fifth Food Warehouse location in Northern Ireland, joining existing stores in Newtownabbey, Belfast, Craigavon and Banbridge. Love Ballymena understands the store is expected to open its doors before the end of March 2

The Junction continues to buck national retail trends as sales figures soar.  Christmas has come early for The Junction Retail and Leisure Park after the Antrim-based outlet confirmed the renewal of two major tenant leases while posting strong sales growth that defies wider national retail trends. The Junction has officially re-signed leasing agreements with leading retailers Next and Denby, reinforcing confidence in the scheme as it finishes 2025 with year-to-date turnover u

Northern Ireland consumers are leading the UK in festive confidence, early planning and online purchasing, according to PwC’s latest Festive Predictions Survey —which reveals the region is bucking national spending trends this Christmas. One in three Northern Irish consumers (31%) plans to spend more on gifts, food, and celebrations this year, more than double the UK average of 15%. Only 4% expect to reduce their festive spending, compared to 14% across the UK, signalling str

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

Fairhill Shopping Centre’s £10 million redevelopment has reached a major milestone with confirmation that Primark will officially open its new Ballymena store on Friday 5th December at 10am. The long-anticipated arrival of Primark marks a turning point for Fairhill and a renewed sense of optimism for Ballymena’s retail sector. The major fashion retailer’s new 29,000 sq. ft store is set to become the centrepiece of Fairhill’s multi-million-pound investment programme, which has