Eight hundred vintage vehicles are expected to take part in this year’s Shane’s Castle Steam Rally in Antrim during the bank holiday weekend from April 28 until May 1.
The display will comprise of steam engines, vintage cars and tractors and is expected to attract more than 15,000 visitors to the Shane’s Castle Estate at Castle Road.
An entertainments licence was approved by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council at a meeting on Monday evening for each day of the event from noon until midnight.
An entertainments licence was also provisionally approved for premises in Ballyclare town centre. The Grange Bar and Restaurant has come under new ownership and is currently under “extensive renovation”, councillors were told.
They were also advised occupancy “within the proposed licensable areas” will be determined further to consultation with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
Licensing requirements that must also be met include a “satisfactory electrical report” and a public consultation which does not result in any objections.
An application for an entertainments licence at Time Coffee House was granted on condition that a “satisfactory electrical report” must be received.
Proposing approval of both applications, Ballyclare DUP Councillor Jeannie Archibald-Brown said: “I am happy to see lots of entertainment in Ballyclare Square.”
Seconding the proposal, Ballyclare Ulster Unionist Cllr Norrie Ramsay quipped: “I am happy to go to the same ‘do’ she’s going to.”
At the same meeting, entertainment licences were granted for The Junction Retail and Leisure Park in Antrim and Moneyglass Community Centre, Loughbeg Road, Toomebridge.
The council’s environmental health officers inspect and license places of entertainment in the borough to ensure required standards of safety are maintained and that there are suitable provisions in place for the “effective management of fire, crowd control and other safety risks”.