NEWS

Crime fiction has taken the top spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, with Ann Cleeves’ The Killing Stones leading a varied bestseller chart featuring thrillers, historical fiction, romance, fantasy and non-fiction. Lyse Doucet’s The Finest Hotel in Kabul takes second place, while Robert Harris’ Agrippa completes the top three. Elsewhere, readers are picking up titles from Lee Child, Virginia Evans, William Boyd, Pierce Brown and Richard Osman. There is also plenty arrivi

Photos from 2025 Fashion Show, featuring local models and professional models from ACA Modelling Agency. ACA will be partnering with organisers again for this year’s show. Ballymena’s Autumn/Winter Fashion Show is returning for a fourth year next month, promising a night of new-season style, live music and entertainment following a sell-out event in 2025. The popular annual event will take over The Braid on Friday 9 October, bringing independent boutiques and high street reta

Northern Ireland’s lowest-earning households are being left with an average of just £53.17 a week after taxes and basic household spending, new research has revealed. The latest Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker from the Consumer Council shows some improvement in household finances at the beginning of 2026 — but spending power remains dramatically below where it was five years ago. For the lowest-income quarter of households, discretionary income has fallen by 35

Tesco has been urged to include Northern Ireland customers in future fuel promotions after shoppers here were excluded from a 5% offer available across Great Britain. Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has written directly to Tesco’s Chief Executive over the issue, arguing that customers in Northern Ireland should not be left at a disadvantage when major UK retailers launch promotions. The intervention follows an earlier complaint which resulted in

Women’s Aid Retail Manager, Michelle McIlwrath , Director of Finance Karen McConkey and CEO, Gillian Robinson. (Images: Danielle Kernohan Photography) A new Women’s Aid shop has opened in Ballymena, with every purchase helping to fund specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic abuse in the local area. The new premises at 23–25 Henry Street are the third retail outlet operated by Women’s Aid ABCLN and will also provide a place where women can access inform

Saturday 5 September 2026 Historical fiction, psychological thrillers and major new non-fiction titles are among the books attracting readers at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, with Tarot Reader of Versailles by Anya Bergman taking the number one spot in the latest Top 10. Alice Feeney’s My Husband’s Wife takes second place, followed by John Grisham’s The Widow, while familiar favourites from Joanna Miller, Alex Michaelides, Sabine Durrant and Kristin Hannah also feature. T

CGI of the proposed new 12,300 sq. ft JD Sports store at Fairhill Shopping Centre Tuesday 1 September 2026 JD Sports is to relocate within Ballymena’s Fairhill Shopping Centre after exchanging contracts for a new 12,300 sq ft store. The sportswear and footwear retailer will move from its existing Fairhill shop into a newly formed unit occupying a prominent corner location within the centre. The agreement secures JD Sports’ continued presence at Fairhill and marks another ste

Virginia Evans’ The Correspondent has returned to the top of the bestseller chart at Waterstone’s Ballymena, leading a varied Top 10 featuring contemporary fiction, psychological thrillers, historical drama and fantasy. There is a particularly strong showing for female authors this week, with Lily Chen, Joanna Miller, Claire Douglas, Cecelia Ahern, Sabine Durrant, V.E. Schwab, Kristin Hannah and Freida McFadden all securing places alongside Evans. Beyond the chart, there are

The new Paws & Pals collection from M&S M&S has expanded its food aisles to four-legged family members with the launch of a new own-brand range of food, meal toppers and treats for adult dogs and cats. The new Paws & Pals collection is available in M&S Foodhalls now, with prices ranging from £3 for treats to £14 for bags of dry food. The launch brings 13 new products to shelves alongside 10 existing favourites being rebranded under Paws & Pals, as the retailer targets growing

Saturday 22 August 2026 Crime and thriller heavyweights dominate the latest bestseller chart at Waterstone’s Ballymena, with Lee Child taking the number one spot as John Grisham, Freida McFadden, Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid all feature in this week’s Top 10. There is plenty beyond crime fiction too, with Virginia Evans’ The Correspondent, V.E. Schwab’s Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, Monisha Rajesh’s Moonlight Express and Stephen Fry’s Odysseyshowing the breadth of read

(L-R) – Ciaran Long, Forward, Belfast Giants; Jordan Kawaguchi, Forward, Belfast Giants; David Goodwin, Forward, Belfast Giants; and Scott Conway, Forward, Belfast Giants. Belfast Giants have unveiled four new jerseys for the 2026/27 season as the reigning Elite Ice Hockey League champions prepare to return to the ice — with O2 appearing on the front of the team’s shirts for the first time. The new home, away, alternate and Challenge Cup designs mark the beginning of O2’s ti

Dobbies has confirmed that its Antrim garden centre will close at the end of October after its new landlord, Frasers Group, decided to redevelop the site for new retail and leisure uses. The retailer said its immediate priority is supporting colleagues affected by the closure, although the number of jobs involved has not been disclosed. Redeployment opportunities and individual support options will be explored. The store opened at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park in 2023

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben has taken the top spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, heading an eclectic bestseller list spanning contemporary thrillers, literary classics, self-help and romance. Homer’s The Odyssey, in Emily Wilson’s acclaimed translation, and John Steinbeck’s East of Eden take second and third place respectively, while modern bestsellers from Mel Robbins, Shari Lapena, Alice Feeney and Kristin Hannah also feature prominently

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans has taken the number one spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, leading a Top 10 that brings together contemporary fiction, science fiction, thrillers, Irish literary classics and poetry. There is plenty more for local book lovers to explore during August, with Waterstone’s Ballymena unveiling its latest Books of the Month across fiction, thriller, fantasy, non-fiction, Irish writing, children’s and young adult categories. The selection

Summer fiction, psychological thrillers and literary favourites continue to capture readers’ attention at Waterstone’s Ballymena, with this week’s bestseller chart showcasing an eclectic mix of contemporary novels, timeless classics and anticipated new releases. The latest update from the Ballymena bookshop also highlights half-price offers, new titles from bestselling authors, an exclusive Gruffalo pre-order promotion, back-to-school offers and the newly announced 2026 Booke

Visitors looking for a taste of local creativity, fresh produce and community spirit can find it all at Glenarm Community Market, which returns on the first Saturday of every month. Held in the heart of the historic village, in the Eglinton Yard Barn, the free market has become a popular stop for both locals and tourists exploring the Antrim Coast, offering everything from handmade crafts and artwork to locally reared food in a relaxed, family-friendly setting. A showcase for

Ulster Unionist MLA Dr Steve Aiken The Windsor Framework continues to present practical challenges for consumers and businesses in Northern Ireland, according to Ulster Unionist MLA Dr Steve Aiken, who has highlighted a series of unresolved issues ranging from online shopping charges to steel imports and VAT on household energy. Speaking after a meeting of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee on Thursday (23 July), Dr Aiken said members examined several emergin

From Alice Feeney’s latest psychological thriller to Jamie Oliver’s ultimate barbecue cookbook, Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled this week’s Top 10 bestselling books, alongside exciting new releases, popular book club events and a special back-to-school offer. Whether you’re looking for a page-turning thriller, a literary classic, a romance or the perfect summer read, the latest chart from Waterstone’s Ballymena offers something for every kind of reader. This week’s Top 10

A Ballymena property investment company has strengthened its growing retail portfolio with the acquisition of one of Derry’s best-known retail parks in a move that underlines continued confidence in Northern Ireland’s retail warehouse market. Magmel (Ballymena) Limited, headed by Ryan Walker and owners of Fairhill Shopping Centre and Braidwater Retail Park in Ballymena, as well as Riverside Retail Park in Coleraine, completed the purchase of Faustina Retail Park in Derry last

Psychological thrillers, summer fiction and fantasy continue to dominate the shelves at Waterstone’s Ballymena, with this week’s Top 10 bestseller chart reflecting readers’ appetite for page-turning suspense, heartfelt storytelling and bestselling new releases. The latest update from the Ballymena bookshop also highlights half-price offers, the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, an exclusive Game of the Month, a major Rebecca Yarros pre-order, family storytime and three welcomi