Author: whatsonni

LASTING memories are the ultimate present and Hastings Hotels is encouraging people to gift their partner an experience to remember…together.

The leading collection of hotels has a fabulous array of gift experiences for couples to enjoy and has put together ideas to help provide some festive inspiration:

• Treat that special someone to a romantic overnight stay in one of the fabulous 7 Hastings Hotels from as little as £75pps. Enjoy a pampering spa break at the Slieve Donard Resort & spa or Culloden Estate & Spa; a city break in Belfast to take in a night at the theatre or the bustling nightlife and stay at Europa Hotel, Grand Central Hotel or Stormont Hotel; spend the afternoon exploring the Walled City and stay at the Everglades Hotel in Derry-Londonderry; or get cosy and enjoy a break along the scenic Antrim coast at Ballygally Castle.
• After Christmas, there is no better way to relax and enjoy some quality time together than an afternoon being pampered. The Spa at Slieve Donard and The Spa at Culloden are an oasis of tranquillity with relaxing facilities including heat experiences, swimming pool and an extensive selection of ESPA treatment starting from £85pp including an Enzyme Facial, an ESPA Eye Lift, an Ocean and Earth Body Wrap, Men’s Deep Cleanse Facial and Golfer’s Tonic massage.
• Enjoy a date night with indulgent dining from only £25pp. The hotels provide the perfect location to enjoy a romantic meal for two and each menu is carefully designed using the very best of local, seasonal produce.
• Treating your loved one to Afternoon Tea is a decadent way to have special time together. Starting from just £20pp, enjoy cups of the finest steaming tea or coffee, finger sandwiches and an array of delectable treats!  For the most exquisite Afternoon Tea experience, visit the Observatory on the 23^rd floor of the Grand Central Hotel where you can enjoy the best views of Belfast and beyond. 
• And if that special person in your life likes to choose their own present – a Hastings Hotels Gift Card is ideal! It can be used in the 7 hotels, the two magnificent spas and any of the group’s restaurants or bars. Every budget is catered for, with cards available from £20 to much, much more!

For further information go towww.hastingshotels.com/Christmasgifts or call 028 9047 1066.

Five top performers from the world of Country music are coming together for a Christmas Country Cracker Show at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on Friday 20^th December.

Featuring the hilarious Gary Gamble with his surreal impressions of Daniel O’Donnell, rising star Owen Mac, truckers’ favourite Boxcar Brian and local singer Joe Moore, the night will include hit song performances with a festive feel in the company of the superb Country Harmony.

If you are a Country music fan then this is the show for you! And there may be a few Christmas special guests making an appearance as well.

The show opens at 8pm and will finish at 10.30pm Tickets cost £20 and are available now from www.roevalleyarts.com or call 028 7776 0650.

This is a guest hire event brought to you by JMG Music Group.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to host an ‘Evening of Inclusive Enchantment’ at Antrim Castle Gardens

Northern Ireland’s Premier Christmas Experience, the Power NI Enchanted Winter Garden, will host a special ‘Evening of Inclusive Enchantment’ for children and adults with specific needs. 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, sponsored by Castle Mall Shopping Centre, will host the evening of Inclusive Enchantment at Antrim Castle Gardens on Wednesday 18^th December (4pm – 9pm) for adults and children with specific needs, including those who are sensitive to noise, lights and crowds.

Attractions and rides will be slowed down, music levels lowered, and strobe lighting and other strong lighting will not be used on the evening.

The Power NI Enchanted Winter Garden sees Antrim’s award-winning gardens transformed into a magical illuminated outdoor experience for all the family, capturing the joy and wonder of traditional festive celebrations.

It will feature an array of dazzling attractions including the the brightly lit 35-metre-high Ferris Wheel, the handsome Victorian Helter Skelter, the traditional fairground Carousel and the breath-taking Wave Swinger.

Visitors can follow the dazzling light installation of the tree-lined winter wonderland walk, where they will meet hidden creatures, street artist performers, fire jugglers, fairies and a magical reindeer.

Children will also get the chance to visit Santa’s workshop as they ride the Enchanted Express Mini Train through the grounds and catch a glimpse of Father Christmas and his busy elves preparing for the festive season.

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Alderman John Smyth said: “We are delighted to once again host the hugely successful ‘Evening of Inclusive Enchantment’ at the Power NI Enchanted Winter Garden for children and adults with specific needs. 

“Delivered in partnership with Castle Mall Shopping Centre this inclusive event offers those who are sensitive to noise, light and large crowds the opportunity to come along and enjoy this magical experience without the usual hustle and bustle.”

Pamela Minford, Centre Manager at Castle Mall commented “We are delighted to be sponsoring an evening of Inclusive Enchantment at the Power NI Enchanted Winter Gardens, one of Northern Ireland’s most spectacular Christmas events.

“Castle Mall is a shopping centre based in the heart of Antrim Town, established for over 30 years with many well-known retailers. The shopping centre will turn off their music on Wednesday 18 December to allow adults and children with specific needs who are visiting the Gardens, the chance to visit the shopping centre. We hope that everyone will pop in and say hello.”

Tickets for the ‘Evening of Inclusive Enchantment’ on Wednesday 18^th December (4.30pm – 9.30pm) are available at www.enchantedwintergarden.com or in person at Clotworthy House / The Old Courthouse or by telephone 028 9448 1338.

Tickets are priced at £4 for an adult, £2 for a child (under two’s go free) and £10 for a family ticket, with tokens purchased separately for rides and attractions.

Free Car parking available at Central Car Park at Castle Mall and other Town Centre car parks.

The Power NI Enchanted Winter Garden will run from Friday 6December through to Sunday 22 December.

Move over John Lewis, there’s a new star this Christmas.

Hastings Hotels has launched its heart-warming 2019 festive campaign, ‘The Doorman and the Duck’.

This beautiful tale begins on a dark, stormy night when the little duckling gets separated from his family and finds a warm welcome at one of Belfast’s most famous landmarks, the Europa Hotel where he rescued by the kind doorman.

The story goes on to see the duckling being looked after by the doorman in the Europa Hotel where he explores, cheekily plays the piano and treats himself to some afternoon tea in the Piano Lounge.

The little duckling makes himself at home in one of the luxurious guestrooms for the night before the friendly doorman helps reunite him with his family.

Julie Hastings, Marketing Director of Hastings Hotels said: “The duck has been central to Hastings Hotels for almost 30 years and we are delighted to bring him to life this year for our Christmas Campaign. The new ad represents the true sentimentality of the festive season and we hope people will fall in love with ‘The Doorman and the Duck’ just as much as we have.” 

To celebrate ‘The Doorman and the Duck’, Hastings Hotels has launched a fabulous Black Friday Extravaganza.  Northern Ireland’s leading collection of hotels is treating everyone to a bottle of wine or bubbles per transaction, when you spend £100 or more on Hastings Hotels Gift Cards.

The November offer of a £10 voucher for every £100 you spend on a Hastings Hotels Gift Card also still applies!

To take advantage of this fabulous offer, go to www.hastingshotels.com or call the Gift Hotline on 028 9047 1066. This offer is available online until tomorrow at 23:59 and by calling the hotline between 8am – 8pm today and tomorrow.

Celebrating 20 Years of the Number 1 Album Rise

Ulster Hall, Belfast: Sunday 29 November

Tickets on sale Saturday at 9am

One of the UK’s most successful singer-songwriters, Gabrielle will bring the Rise Again Tour 2020 to the Ulster Hall next November.

Gabrielle returned to the top of her game with her 2018 album ‘Under My Skin’. The album debuted at #7 on the Official Album Chart and represented her highest-charting studio set since ‘Rise’ spent three weeks at #1 eighteen years earlier.

Having successfully proven herself all over again, Gabrielle is now set to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the smash hit ‘Rise’ album with the confirmation of the ‘Rise Again Tour 2020’. The tour will see Gabrielle playing  songs from the album, along with other iconic hits and fan favourites.

“I’m so excited about going on the road and celebrating 20 years of the ‘Rise’ album being released. I’m looking forward to performing songs from ‘Rise’ alongside lots of my other favourites and of course I could never end a show without playing ‘Dreams’, its going to be a big party full of good vibes and memories” says Gabrielle.

Released late in 1999, ‘Rise’ shot back into the charts when its title-track spent two weeks at #1 the following February. The album then spent three weeks at #1 during an eleven-week run in the Top 10, before again returning to the Top 10 in the summers of 2000 and 2001. The album was eventually certified 4 x Platinum in recognition of more than 1.2 million sales.

‘Rise’ featured five of Gabrielle’s biggest hits: the title track (#1), ‘Out Of Reach’ (#4),  ‘When A Woman’ (#6), ‘Sunshine’ (#9) and ‘Should I Stay’ (#13).

Through the first chapter of her career – from her emergence in 1993 through to 2007 – Gabrielle was a near constant presence in the UK charts. She landed two #1 singles, a further eight Top 10 hits and five Top 10 albums, including the #1 hit ‘Rise’. Gabrielle has spent a combined total of over four years on the Top 40 of the Official Album and Singles Charts, exceeding 5 million sales in the process. In addition, she was part of the BBC’s all-star version of Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’.

Highlights of her numerous awards include the prestigious Ivor Novello for Outstanding Song Collection; two BRIT Awards for British Breakthrough Act and British Female Solo Artist; and both Best Album (‘Rise’) and Best Single (‘Give Me A Little More Time’) at the MOBO Awards.

This summer has seen Gabrielle build on the success of ‘Under My Skin’ by playing a near sold-out UK Headline Tour, BBC’s Proms In The Park (40,000), Blenheim Palace with Gladys Knight, Kingsholm Stadium with Nile Rogers as well as a summer full of festival dates.

Tickets on sale Saturday at 9am

In person at the Ulster Hall Box Office

By Telephone: 028 9033 4455
Book On Line: www.waterfront.co.uk

In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide 
By Telephone (24 Hour): Northern Ireland – 0844 277 44 55
Book On Line: www.ticketmaster.ie 

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has joined forces with Fidra, a Scottish based environmental group, to launch ‘The Great Nurdle Hunt’ around our iconic beaches and coastline. 

Fidra shines a light on environmental issues, working with the public, industry and governments to deliver pragmatic, evidence-based solutions for a healthy environment and sustainable societies. Fidra developed The Great Nurdle Hunt, a citizen science project to encourage people in coastal areas to look for and record ‘nurdles’. 

Nurdles are small plastic pellets which, when melted together, are used by industry to make nearly all our plastic products.  They end up in the ocean, dispersed by currents and wind and are washed up on beaches across the globe.  We want to see if they are present on our coastline and then record the information as part of a global citizen science project.

Nurdles attract other pollutants and can be mistaken for food by sea birds and other marine animals.  One fulmar found in the North Sea had 273 nurdles in its stomach! 

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Councillor Sean Bateson said: “It’s really important we build up a picture of nurdles along our coastline as part of our other ongoing litter activity under our LitterSmart banner.  We are excited to be part of the worldwide Nurdle Hunt movement and are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Fidra on this initiative.  Plastics have a significant impact on the overall health of our marine and coastal environments and there are a host of opportunities for everyone to get involved in making this place we call home better.’

Jasper Hamlet from Fidra commented: ‘We are delighted to have the support of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and hope that many people can take part in The Great Nurdle Hunt along this beautiful part of the Northern Irish coastline. Taking part in The Great Nurdle Hunt is fun, easy and contributes vital data to our worldwide picture of nurdle pollution. All you need to do is head to a beach, look for nurdles and let us know how you get on by submitting your data on our website. The information we gather from nurdle hunters adds to the evidence of this form of pollution and supports our case calling for immediate action to prevent further loss of plastic pellets.’

Council is appealing for volunteers to help carry out this vital research.  Support will be provided so if you’re interested please contact:

recycle@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk or ring 028 2766 0248.

For more information on The Great Nurdle Hunt, please go to www.nurdlehunt.org.uk/