Month: April 2024

HASTINGS Hotels has partnered with SD Bell & Co in East Belfast to create a specially roasted 100% Arabica blend for the group’s six luxurious properties.

The launch of the brew comes as Hastings Hotels confirmed a new supply agreement with Henderson Foodservice to continue its long standing coffee relationship which spans eight years. As part of this, the group has invested in new top of the range equipment, including a bean to cup machine which enables breakfast guests across the six hotels to self-serve both specialty coffees and hot chocolates. 

The new coffee roast supplied by SD Bell & Co is served from all Barista machines across the six hotels and the Cultra Inn, together with especially creamy milk from Farmview Dairies in the Castlereagh Hills, to deliver a premium coffee product.

Howard Hastings, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels said: “At Hastings Hotels, we are passionate about good coffee and have carefully selected our own roasts for the last number of years. In keeping with our strong heritage of supporting local, we are delighted to have teamed up with Robert Bell, of SD Bell & Co, a well-known coffee roasters and a neighbour of our property Stormont Hotel, to introduce a delightful specially roasted 100% Arabica blend that is available for our guests to enjoy.”

Robert Bell, Managing Director of SD Bell said: “This is a highly prestigious account for SD Bell’s, and as Ireland’s oldest independent tea merchants and coffee roasters, the heritage and history of SD Bell & Co resonates well with the brand values and local credentials that are so important to Hastings Hotels so we are thrilled to be working with the group to create this unique coffee blend. I was pleased to be personally involved in the tasting and selection of this coffee, a quality Arabica bean, roasted exclusively for Hastings to give a full, rich taste, perfect for all espresso-based coffees.”

Open House has announced the initial programme for this year’s annual Bangor Festival. The focal venues for ticketed events will be Bangor Castle Walled Garden, and the award-winning Court House on Bangor seafront. And for the first time since the covid pandemic, there will be at least one event every day throughout the month of August.

Acts performing at the stunning Walled Garden under a stretch tent canopy include the eleven-man Whitehorse Guitar Club from Cork, comedian Jarlath Regan, known for his Irishman Abroad podcast, and English Indie soul band Skinny Living. Comedians Diona Doherty and Micky Bartlett are appearing under the same bill, and this year’s film will be last year’s big summer hit, Barbie.

The Court House, an independent music and arts venue that is owned and operated by Open House, will play a much bigger role in this year’s Festival. Since opening its doors eighteen months ago, it has been awarded two major accolades: The National Lottery Project of the Year Award, and the Heritage Angels Award, both of which were attained by public vote. During the festival the venue will host This is the Kit, aka English musician Kate Stables and her band, acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter Oisín Leech, comedy harpist Ursula Burns, and County Down singer, Wilfie, who has become something of a legend in his own lifetime. There’ll be a host of other music events, many of which are free, as well as comedy, poetry, book clubs, wine tastings, and cinema – including a Colin Bateman trilogy – plus a special celebration of Bangor’s famous 1980s nightclub, The Matinee Club.

While the core festival runs during August, other fringe events will be held throughout the summer. The popular Picnic in the Park free music events at Ward Park return every Sunday afternoon in July and August. This year’s line-up includes Belfast soul band The Gold Tips, Bangor’s own Wasted Talent, and bluegrass band Broken String Band, who will perform at the now legendary Bluegrass Picnic on Sunday 25^th August. And this year’s Seaside Revival Vintage Festival will take place on Bangor seafront on Saturday 29^th June.

“With around eighty events currently programmed and more to be announced, this is our biggest Festival since 2019,” said Open House Director, Kieran Gilmore. “Covid changed the trajectory of the August festival, but we’ve enjoyed a really great couple of years in the Walled Garden. And now we can celebrate the success of the Court House, and integrate it into the festival too – something we spent years dreaming about and planning. The venue has already proven to be enormously popular with the people of Bangor, and we’re hoping that others from further afield will visit and enjoy the building during August.”

Since the first Open House Festival Bangor in 2013, the city has become a go-to cultural destination for artists and audiences alike. To date there have been over 1,100 festival events (a third of which were free) to a combined audience of 362,000, with an estimated input of £13.6m to the city’s economy. This year’s festival is expected to attract around 52,000 people to Bangor, and will once again have a positive impact on the wider local economy.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Jennifer Gilmour, said: “The packed programme of live events sounds exciting and I am really looking forward to this year’s Open House Festival. Combined with Picnic in the Park and the Seaside Revival, as well as a series of events held in our beautiful Bangor Castle Walled Garden and in Bangor’s historic and award-winning Court House venue, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. This will attract an influx of visitors to our Borough, helping to boost our local economy, and I wish all those participating a very successful Festival.”

Additional festival events and further details about Seaside Revival and Picnic in the Park will be announced in due course.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 26^th April.

To purchase tickets and view the full programme go to: www.openhousefestival.com

Ards and North Down Borough Council proudly presents its Arts and Heritage Summer Programme, spanning the May to August period. Bursting with an array of events, exhibitions, and creative classes, alongside exciting events at Ards Arts Centre and North Down Museum, the diverse programme offers cultural experiences for everyone.

Highlights from the Arts and Heritage Summer programme include the popular Friday Night Live series of events which will see musicians Brigid O’Neill and Wilfie Gilbert take to the stage at Ards Arts Centre. The Ulster Orchestra return to Bangor Abbey in June for another enchanting evening of classical music presented by a small ensemble.

The picturesque setting of Bangor Castle’s Walled Garden will host the acclaimed ForM Sculpture Exhibition in June, showcasing the works of artists from all around the island of Ireland. World-famous magician and household name, Joel M will appear at Space Theatre, SERC, Bangor in July where audiences can witness the impossible as he shows off his latest and greatest illusions!

The annual Creative Peninsula festival in August offers an abundance of opportunities to try your hand at arts and craft practices. Featuring workshops from talented local artists, studio visits and the fantastic Creative Peninsula in the Square event, there’s plenty to get involved with!

For anyone wishing to learn a new skill or perhaps develop existing skills, Ards Arts Centre has lots of creative classes on offer – from silversmithing to calligraphy, drawing to ceramics and lots more! Enrolment for classes opens for online booking from 12noon on Thursday 25 April.

North Down Museum also has a busy Summer ahead. Highlights of their programme include a series of Ulster Scots events for children, taking place in August. From the Children’s Ceilidh, where kids can learn traditional group dances, to the lively Wiggly Weans event where little ones will delight in singing rhymes and mastering ceilidh moves. The museum will also host the RNLI’s 200^th Anniversary exhibition, opening in June. The exhibition will explore the important role played by the RNLI and their volunteers since the first lifeboat station opened in the borough in 1858.

Speaking about the programme, Emily Crawford, Arts and Heritage Manager with Ards and North Down Borough Council said: “We have a really exciting and varied programme of arts and heritage activity with music, exhibitions, hands-on classes and lots to entertain younger audiences. We hope you’ll visit us at Ards Arts Centre and North Down Museum this Spring/Summer.”

Tickets go on sale on Thursday 25 April at 12noon. To view the full programme and to book, visit: www.andculture.org.uk/whats-on

Ships, Coaches, Opentop Busses and of course, a Deep Fried Mars Bar!

In the early hours of a Sunday morning we parked up at Stena Line Belfast for a 2.5 hr crossing to Cairnryan.

Check in at Belfast for foot passengers is a simple process and the departure lounge  is comfortable with a Barista Coffee House on site offering hot/cold drinks and snacks.The journey across the Irish Sea was extremely smooth and helped by the fact that we  had access to the Stena Plus Lounge at the front of the ship, where you can help yourself to complimentary drinks and snacks, or can purchase cooked breakfasts from the menu. There is plenty to keep the kids entertained with a cinema and games arcade on board. Take advantage of the special offers at the Onboard Shop or treat yourself to a treatment at the Nordic Spa!

As we disembarked we were greeted literally outside the door by George and we boarded our Ulsterbus coach for the approx 2 hr, scenic drive to Buchanan Street Station in Glasgow. Buchanan Street is ideally located to walk to the city centre, take a bus to Edinburgh or even the airport!  My husband and I opted to hop on the City Sightseeing Glasgow Open Top Bus which conveniently stops at Buchanan Street Station every 30 minutes. Our Ulsterbus coach dropped us off at around 12.30 pm and were due back at the station at 4.30pm, so decided this would be the best, quickest way to see as much of the City as possible within the timeframe, and we were not disappointed!  From the history, architecture, and stunning murals there is something for everyone.

The wind was bracing on the top deck but as it was dry so we toughed it out for the views. Tickets can be purchased as you board from the driver or online. Earphones free and tours are available in several languages. They are both informative and entertaining!

Once our tour was complete we decided to disembark at George Square in the City Centre and do something we have always wanted to do….. order a deep fried Mars Bar! No trip to Glasgow is complete without dining at one of the several Blue Lagoon fish and chip shops located throughout the city. They offer both sit in and take away options. We sat in and my husband swore it was the best fish he had ever had! Luckily there was a vegetarian option for me and we shared the famous deep fried mars bar with some ice cream – and it was absolutely delicious!!

We took in the Buchanan Galleries Shopping Centre for some souvenirs and the obligatory fridge magnet for our daughter on our way back to the coach.

If you are looking for a fun packed day out I can highly recommend the Stena Line service to Glasgow – they also offer Edinburgh and Ayr as destinations.  I met several people who had taken the trip to spend the day with their children who were studying in the city and others like us, who just wanted to so some sight seeing.

I cannot say enough good things about the service from the amazing staff both on board the Stena Line ship and our coach driver George on the day. The whole day was seamless and very worthwhile.

To find out more about this and other day trips available click HERE

Longing to travel but tight on time? Don’t worry you’re not alone. With increasingly busy lives holi-dayers of all ages are finding the best way to satisfy their wanderlust is with a daycation.

Same-day travel offers a fantastic and affordable way to experience the best of new places. It eliminates the need to book accommodation, stressing over what to pack in your suitcase and minimises the amount of annual leave you need to take from work and all of life’s other responsibilities.

And, thanks to Stena Line, a flit to Scotland’s biggest city — Glasgow, or a trip to the seaside in Ayr, has never been easier. Whether you’re hoping to shop ‘til you drop on Argyle Street, tour Glasgow’s Cathedral, or visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, there is no shortage of incredible experiences to be had in this historic city.

The Swedish-owned ferry company is inviting customers to leave their cars, and cares, at home and enjoy a hassle-free, coach trip to Scotland. Crossing the Irish Sea in just over two hours, passengers can relax, unwind and enjoy the unrivalled style and comfort of Stena Superfast.

Your holiday starts the second you set foot onboard and passengers seeking instant relaxation are invited to take a dip in the jacuzzi or enjoy some time out in the sauna at the Pure Nordic Spa
where day-trippers are also entitled to 20% off all treatments.

Start your day with a great value meal from the Taste Restaurant and bag yourself a bargain in the Onboard Shop where you’ll also receive a £5 off shopping voucher if you spend at least £30. Or, simply relax and unwind in The Living Room or upgrade your trip and enjoy the luxury of the Stena Plus Lounge or the Hygge Recline Lounge. On arrival in Cairnryan, guests travelling to Ayr or Glasgow will travel, via coach, to the heart of their destination and enjoy its unique offerings.

Prices start from just £29 per adult and £25 per child for a return trip to Glasgow and £25 per adult and £20 per child for a trip to Ayr.  Stena Line’s day trips to Glasgow take place on selected Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays  throughout the year while trips to the beautiful seaside town of Ayr will take place on Thursdays throughout July and August.

For more information visit www.stenaline.co.uk/special-offers

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After a successful Irish tour in 2017, 2019, and again in 2022, as well as ten sold out seasons at the Irish Arts Center in New York, ‘Muldoon’s Picnic’ arrives at Armagh’s Market Place Theatre.

An omnium-gatherum of poetry, prose and music, Muldoon’s Picnic is a cabaret-style evening, by turns witty, exuberant, and sophisticated, hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon, ‘the most significant English-language poet born since the Second World War’, (Times Literary Supplement).

Each show on the tour has a bespoke mix of artists from the worlds of music and literature. The Market Place Theatre will be the venue for one of Ireland’s most beloved poets and recent TS Eliot Prize nominee Jane Clarke. Jane will be joined by the sounds of composer and musician Colm Mac Con Iomaire as well as internationally acclaimed author and Booker Prize winner Anne Enright.

The title ‘Muldoon’s Picnic’ refers to a popular 19th-century New York vaudeville act, which inspired the New York based Irish poet, Paul Muldoon, to begin hosting these carefully blended evenings of literature and music back in 2014.

Paul describes ‘Muldoon’s Picnic’ as a direct response to that ancient impulse to perform, to share, to make one’s own amusement; “It’s one of our most basic instincts; to listen to a song, listen to a poem. Even in this era when people have their noses stuck in their tablets, it still works.”

‘Muldoon’s Picnic’ will take place at The Market Place Theatre, Armagh on Wednesday 15 May. Tickets can be booked online at www.visitarmagh.com/marketplacetheatre or through the Box Office on 03300 561 025.

This week marks an exciting milestone for Comber as an innovation showcasing local businesses, amenities, landmarks and attractions, goes live to a global audience with the launch of the Comber Chamber of Commerce Virtual Town Tour.

Visitors can hover over the town’s rich tapestry and virtually stroll through the charming streets to get a taste of Comber’s unique offerings and warm hospitality. 

By exploring Comber using this immersive digital experience, visitors can browse menus, make reservations, take a wander around a retail business or view locally made products and special offers from their phone, laptop or iPad.

Iris McBride, Chair of Comber Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is an exciting day for Comber Chamber of Commerce and for the residents and traders of Comber as we embrace this new marketing tool for showcasing our little County Down jewel to the rest of the world.

“In this digital age, an innovation like the Comber Virtual Town Tour is futureproofing a town which has been serving the local community for generations. By adapting to connect with a broader audience through their chosen device, we are ultimately assisting with supporting our local economy. Harnessing the power of technology is essential for businesses to grow and this tour provides another vehicle for those participating to attract new customers and drive footfall to their businesses.

“The beauty of the Town Tour is that people can choose to plot their visit to Comber before getting on the bus or getting in the car, as the platform provides a wealth of useful information for planning the perfect day or evening out in Comber.”

Ronnie McAleese MBE of Patch Dog Training, whose business features on the tour, said: “I believe this new virtual tour is a marvellous platform for promoting Comber. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the process of getting involved in the project to give potential visitors to Patch Dog Training and to Comber an insight into what’s in store for them simply from the click of a button.”

To take a virtual tour of Comber, please visit: www.lovelocalcomber.com and follow Love Local Comber on Facebook at www.shoplocalcomber.com and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lovelocalcomber_/

For further information on Comber Virtual Town Tour created by Johnson West Co, please email chair@comberchamber.com

Introducing ‘Na Fianna Force’ and ‘The Quest’

Emerald Park, Ireland’s premier family operated theme park and zoo is thrilled to announce the long-awaited names of its two new-state of the art intertwining rollercoasters which are part of its first fully themed and immersive land, Tír Na nÓg.

Due to open next month, with an official opening date to be revealed very soon, the theme park and zoo can now reveal the names of its intertwining rollercoasters, ‘Na Fianna Force’ and ‘The Quest’. As the longest intertwining family and thrill coaster in Europe and the only of its kind in Ireland, these two new coasters will offer an unparalleled rush for thrill-seekers seeking the ultimate adrenaline fix!

‘Na Fianna Force’, a suspended thrill coaster, reaches heights of 32 metres (just higher than the Cú Chulainn coaster) and speeds of up to 90km/h. Deriving its name from the legendary band of Celtic warriors, ‘Na Fianna Force’, is the larger of the two rollercoasters at Tír Na nÓg, the track is positioned above your head ensuring an adrenaline rush like no other! Rollercoaster fans can look forward to heart pounding fun, with inversions such as a 360 zero-G roll and an upward helix, which guarantees a total of five thrilling upside down experiences on the coaster. With daring twists and high-speed drops, put your bravery to the test on this ultimate thrill seeker ride!

Intertwined with ‘Na Fianna Force’ is ‘The Quest’, a family boomerang rollercoaster, which will have riders embark on a quest to the mystical land of Tír na nÓg. Soar to the top of a ruined castle tower as you travel at speeds up to 60km/h and heights of 25 metres. On this unique family coaster, prepare to travel forward and backwards, expect plenty of airtime hills, dives through trenches and turn through castles in this unique family coaster.

In addition to the two new thrilling rollercoasters, Tír Na nÓg will be home to a third attraction, ‘The Celtic Dreamer’. Themed after the well-known Irish legend, Children of Lir, The Celtic Dreamer is an all-time family classic known as a Wave Swinger; this 56-seater attraction is a colourful, spinning, flying sensation where young and old can take in the unmatched sight of Tír Na nÓg as they soar to 12 metres and beyond.

With a substantial investment of €22 million, the 6.5-acre land is a first for Emerald Park and has never been seen before in Ireland. New food outlets, retail spaces, and an entrance that will create real excitement and wonder, will also all lend to the Irish mythology and fantasy theming across the land.

Engineered and designed by a Dutch manufacturing company, Vekoma, who are a major supplier for The Walt Disney Company, the rollercoasters have been designed intricately to create an excitement filled and memorable experience for Emerald Park visitors.

Book your tickets now from www.EmeraldPark.ie

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