Installation to be unveiled at Giant’s Causeway as part of London 2012 Festival

A MAJOR display of art will be unveiled today at the Giant’s Causeway by an internationally acclaimed artist as part of the London 2012 Festival and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s ni2012: our time, our place campaign.

FLAGS, an installation by German artist Hans Peter Kuhn, will be embedded temporarily in the dramatic landscape of the Giant’s Causeway, from August 20 to November 4, creating a new visitor experience within this unique natural phenomenon.

Located just beyond the world famous Causeway stones, a series of flags will stretch along the length of the bay of Port Noffer. They will be randomly positioned along the trail and the banks of the cliff face, drawing on the natural power of the elements.

This will allow visitors to first view the natural beauty of the original site of the Giant’s Causeway then continue along the trail to discover another view, this time man made as Hans Peter Kuhn explains.

“For me this is an amazing opportunity to create an artwork which is driven by natural forces, blending into a delicate landscape of enormous beauty,” said Hans.

“It is especially exciting because the work is located next to a stunning world heritage site the monumentality of which was a consideration in my own conceptual approach to this commission,” he added.

Northern Ireland Tourist Board Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Thomson said:

“FLAGS is another example of how Northern Ireland is punching above its weight in terms of securing world class events. This is a chance to showcase the breathtaking North Coast, along a route that has been awarded the accolade of one of the world’s great road journeys. FLAGS will further showcase the new Giant’s Causeway Visitor Centre as part of the ni2012: our time, our place programme.

“By linking in to the London 2012 Festival, we are continuing to show the world how much Northern Ireland has to offer and why ‘our place’ is a great tourism destination,” she said.

“The London 2012 Festival is a spectacular 12-week nationwide celebration running from 21 June until 9 September, bringing together leading artists across the world with the very best from the UK”, added Kathryn.

The flags, red on one side and yellow on the other, will rotate freely in the wind. Depending on the strength and direction of the wind the viewer will see a flickering pattern of red and yellow set against the backdrop of this spectacular landscape, generating a strange form of semaphore transmitting nature’s message. FLAGS emanates a quiet, contemplative power, perfectly compatible with the surrounding landscape.

Ruth Mackenzie, Director of London 2012 Festival and Cultural Olympiad, said:

“Hans Peter Kuhn is one of Europe’s most innovative artists. His ambitious FLAGS project for County Antrim’s Giant’s Causeway will allow people to see this dramatic landscape in a new light.”

For further information on FLAGS and for a free parking voucher for those visiting the installation only, click on www.ni2012.com.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has put together a list of 12 exciting things to do in Northern Ireland over the next week (August 27 – September 2).

For all events in ni2012 click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto http://www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland

• Buttermilk Point, Enniskillen Castle, Co Fermanagh, until September 27.  Born in Enniskillen in 1915, Joan Trimble was a renowned pianist and an accomplished composer.  This exhibition showcases part of her remarkable musical career through music manuscripts and photographs.
• Antiques and Collectables Fair, The Argory, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, August 27.  A fantastic range of antiques and collectables for sale with live entertainment in the courtyard.
• Ladies Day at the Races, Downpatrick, Co. Down, August 27.  Enjoy a ladies day out at Downpatrick which is one of the friendliest courses in Ireland with a strong local following.
• EAZA South East Asia Week, Belfast Zoo, Belfast, August 27 – 31.  The zoo will be hosting a week of activities to fundraise towards the lasting contribution to the survival of animals native to South East Asia.

• The Gruffalo, Lyric Theatre, Belfast, August 28 – September 2.  Meet a wheeler-dealer Fox, an eccentric old Owl and a maraca-shaking, party mad Snake.  Mouse can scare these hungry animals away with tall stories of the terrifying Gruffalo, but what happens when he comes face to face with the very creature he imagined?
• Causeway Coast Walk, Portballintrae Village Hall, Co. Antrim, August 29.  A four-mile walk from Portballintrae to the Giant’s Causeway where the conservation officer will highlight the more interesting and rare species that live at this popular tourist attraction.

• An Appointment with William Butler Yeats, Linen Hall Library, Belfast, August 29.  Northern Ireland harpist Marie O’Neill is joined by actress Roma Tomelty, poet and songwriter Eugene Dunphy and singer-songwriter Ursula Burns to pay homage to Nobel Prize winner, W.B. Yeats.
• Family Film Fridays: Up, Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, Limavady, Co. Londonderry, August 31.  By tying thousands of balloons to his home, 78-year-old Carl sets out to fulfil his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South Africa.  Enjoy this uplifting adventure with your whole family.

• Ramble Gullion, Ring of Gullion, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, September 1.  Bring all the family along to enjoy the landscape and embrace breathtaking views of the Ring of Gullion, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

• Going Potty, Rowallane Garden, Ballynahinch, Co. Down, September 1.  Learn the art of smoke firing pottery and make your own pot in a hands-on workshop.  Pots can be collected to take home the next day.
• Saintfield Horse & Pony Show, Oughley Road, Saintfield, Co. Down, September 1.  Enjoy a day out with horse racing, horse riding classes and a celebrity donkey derby which is not to be missed.

• Spice: The Exhibition, The Tower Museum, Co. Londonderry, until September 1.  Do you remember Girl Power? Here’s your opportunity to relive the heady days of the Spice Girls with an exhibition of music awards, books, different types of promotional material and costumes.

For further information please contact Pauline Gormley from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board on 028 9044 1650 or Alana Taylor of Duffy Rafferty Communications on 028 9073 0880.

Ever wondered if the myths are really true? Are bats really blind? Will they get stuck in your hair? Do they drink blood? And why on earth do they sleep upside down?

Find out the answers to all of these questions and more at Springhill’s Batty Bonanza on Friday 24 August at 7.30pm.

Discover more about the exciting lives of these illusive little creatures. Venture out into the beautiful gardens and grounds of Springhill, Moneymore, as the sunlight begins to fade and watch the bats emerge from their roosts in the buildings. The whole family, especially the children will find tracking down the real live bats thrilling, using bat detecting equipment to identify the different species seen swooping around in the twilight.

What better place to catch a glimpse of these captivating creatures than at Springhill where many of the eight species found in Northern Ireland have been recorded living in the buildings and surrounding parkland. With species such as the surprisingly small pipistrelle to the unusual brown long eared bat in residence, it is sure to be a fascinating and fun evening for all ages.

As the evening draws to a close hot drinks and refreshments will be served, while children will have the opportunity to get creative and make something batty to take home.

For further information please contact Springhill on 028 8674 8210 or email sophie.atkinson@nationaltrust.org.uk

Batty Bonanza will take place at Springhill, Moneymore on Friday 24 August from 7.30pm-10pm. Admission for both members and non-members is £5 for adults and £3 for children. Family ticket £13. Refreshments are included.

Loughshore Park in Jordanstown will be buzzing with music and fun activities for all the family when the annual Shoreline Festival returns for the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Saturday 25^th and Sunday 26^th will see the arrival of Blackberry Farm for the first time at the Shoreline Festival.  Children will get the opportunity to hold and feed animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chicks, ducklings, hens and Pygmy goats.

Returning for another year on Monday 27^th is the TACT Wildlife Centre bringing everything from creepy crawlies to owls.  Children will be able to get up close to these animals and learn more about them and the environments they live in.

A Family Fun Zone with bouncy castles, arts and crafts and a fun fair will run on each of the three days of the festival while a variety of live music concerts will feature each evening including Classics in the Park on the final night. Picnics and chairs are a must for this event which will close with a fireworks extravaganza.

With most of the activities and displays being free of charge, the event will be an affordable weekend of fun for families to get together before school starts back!

Check out the full programme at http://www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/shoreline or through the official Shoreline Festival Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/shorelinefestival

WITH some of Northern Ireland’s best food and drink events set to take place over the next few months, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) is urging food lovers to prepare their taste buds and follow the scent of fine food.

Food has always been a key ingredient of Northern Ireland’s identity with its strong agricultural traditions, but in recent years local produce has been gaining international recognition for sensational seafood, delectable dairy products, indigenous breads, bumper vegetable crops and high quality meats.

NITB’s Culture & Heritage Officer, Julie McLaughlin commented that the array of events taking place over the next few months offers great opportunities to sample some of Northern Ireland’s culinary delights.

“Our food has gained a world-renowned reputation in recent years with a number of accolades being awarded to local producers, most recently the Great Taste Awards, putting us firmly on the culinary map. Comber Potatoes, Lough Neagh Eels and Armagh Bramley Apples have all been granted Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) status under European Law, joining the elite ranks of food products such as Parma Ham and Champagne.”

“As well as this, McCartney’s of Moira was named the UK Supreme Food Champion for its handmade corned beef, the first time the award has been won by a Northern Ireland company, while Strangford Lough’s Cuan Oysters were named the best in the world by The Observer’s Killian Fox,” she said.

“Food festivals provide great opportunities to taste some of the wonderful local produce on offer as well as experiencing the skills of our talented chefs, all while enjoying packed programmes of fun and entertainment,” she added.

With everything from an oyster eating contest to a Chocolate Festival taking place over the coming weeks in Northern Ireland, there’s bound to be something to suit everyone’s tastes from this list of tasty food and drink events;

The Kilkeel Fish Fest takes place August 24 – 27 and offers a carnival atmosphere for all the family while boasting a seafood buffet, numerous food and fresh fish stalls, cookery demonstrations, children’s entertainment and oyster eating competitions.

Ireland’s oldest traditional market fair, the Auld Lammas Fair, runs on August 27 and 28 in the traditional setting of Ballycastle, Co. Antrim, usually attracting thousands of visitors.  As well as street entertainment, horse trading and market stalls, revellers can sample local specialties such as dulse (dried edible seaweed) and the famous and deliciously sweet chewy indigenous confectionary known as Yellow Man.

Now in its 20^th year, the Hillsborough International Oyster Festival has put the historic village of Hillsborough firmly on the culinary map.  Taking place from September 6 – 9 the festival attracts crowds of approximately 14,000 people with visitors from across the world.  The event famously hosts the World Oyster Eating Championships, with other entertainment and competitions running throughout the weekend including a family fun day, the Miss Oyster Pearl beauty pageant, a live concert and BBQ and of course the famous Gourmet Food Market where fine locally-produced food and drink is available in the Festival Marquee.

The Bushmills Salmon & Whiskey Festival, the first of its kind, takes place on September 22 in the famous Co. Antrim town and boasts a full programme of events.  Included in the day’s line-up are culinary displays, stage performances, market stalls, history talks and tours, family entertainment, fancy dress, traditional games and community competitions as well as a stunning fireworks display.

For those with a sweet tooth the Hans Sloane Chocolate and Fine Food Festival makes the perfect day out.  The festival takes place in the grounds of Killyleagh Castle, Co. Down, on Sunday September 23 and will be jam-packed with fun and fine food including a marquee filled with a selection of the finest chocolatiers from across Ireland.  It’s not all about chocolate though as the event will include the NITB Signature Kitchen where local chefs will delight and entertain as they cook up various dishes with a focus on fine local produce allowing visitors to pick up tips and recipes from the experts.  Visitors can also browse the many stalls and taste, nibble and buy an array of goods.  Activities for children include a Circus Skills School and a chocolate themed W5 stage show.

On the Causeway Coast, Larne Loves Food will take place on Saturday September 24.  Visitors are invited to come along and enjoy food demonstrations by chefs from Taste of Ulster and the ‘Focus on Food’ stalls with samples from local food retailers and producers as well as family entertainment.

Set your taste buds alight at the fantastic two-day Taste of Tyrone Food Festival on September 29 and 30.  Forty local food producers will be laying out their wares with taste kitchens and cookery demonstrations.  Visitors will experience a range of food crafts including butter churning and apple pressing.  This Dungannon based food event will also boast kids fun activities and live music.

Meanwhile on the shores of Strangford Lough, Food Glorious Food will take place at the National Trust’s Mount Stewart property on September 29 where food lovers can taste, talk and buy a range of produce directly from producers.  There will also be live music and autumnal themed children’s craft sessions.

Back in Belfast, for those wishing to find out about the stories behind Northern Ireland food, the Belfast Bred Tour is ideal.   This theatrical walking tour is led by ‘Barney’, a chef from RMS Titanic, who has been restored to life following the melting of the iceberg in which he was frozen solid!  Barney takes the tour group on an ingredient hunt in contemporary Belfast in a bid to recreate the famous ship’s menu.   Along the way Barney will introduce the very best of local produce, meeting and talking with local chefs and weaving Belfast‘s history into the tour.  Skip breakfast and meet Barney at 10.15am outside Sawyers Deli to begin the tour which departs every Friday and Saturday until September 30.

In addition to the scheduled tours the new Belfast Bred iPhone App enables visitors to take a self guided tour outside of the scheduled times, however following along with Barney means visitors get the full experience with all the tastings along the way!

The first ever Belfast Restaurant Week runs from October 6 – 13 and will see the city’s top restaurants coming together to celebrate the richness and diversity of the city’s food, from the farm to the fork, with special menus, promotions and competitions throughout the week.  There will also be special events taking place in St George’s Market on Saturday October 6 and Saturday October 13.  Whether you are a discerning gourmet or wishing to try a new dining experience for the first time, there will be something for everyone.

For further information on local produce and events taking place in Northern Ireland click on www.discovernorthernireland.com or visit your local tourist information centre.  You can also keep up-to-date with the latest news, images, videos and competitions by visiting http://www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland.

As part of the HAPPY DAYS Enniskillen International Beckett Festival, Share Discovery Village, in partnership with Colebrooke Estate, are running the ‘Beckett Bike It: Pedal for Purgatory’ – a family cycling event for teams of 4 with great prizes!

The family challenge takes place on Saturday 25^th August with registration opening at 9am and the event starting at 10am. For only £25 per team of 4, families can enjoy a fun, competitive family cycling event around the beautiful Colebrooke Estate (featured on Country House Rescue – Ch 4) completing various physical, mental and skill based tasks and challenges en route which will be scored throughout.

Each team will be presented with a map, route and series of challenges that they must undertake which will be scored throughout. Team members must be 6 years old and over and children (under 16) must be accompanied by an adult. The team completing the route with the most points will be deemed the winner. Bring your own bike + helmet or hire one of ours (small extra cost). Entrants will be in with a chance of winning some fantastic prizes including: 1st Prize – Bicycle Voucher for £150, 2nd Prize – Family Membership to Share Fitness and Pool, 3rd Prize – Family Activity Day at SHARE.

To book, simply contact reception@sharevillage.org or call 02867722122.

Leading ferry company Stena Line aims to ease the financial burden on students and their families by offering FREE travel to Scotland and England in time for starting or returning to university!

With demand for university places in Northern Ireland extremely high, more and more students are likely to seek education across the Irish Sea in 2012 than in previous years.

“Reports this week have shown that up to 8000 students will miss out on places at universities in Northern Ireland due to a record number of applications,” said the ferry company’s Marketing Manager Ian Baillie. “Therefore, the need for places in Scotland and England is set to rise accordingly, so travelling across the Irish Sea is a very likely option for lots of our students.”

This is the eighth year Stena Line has run its Students Go Free campaign which has proven successful not only with students, but the parents who are able to accompany their son or daughter to ensure the university term gets off to a good start.

With University fees on the increase, Stena Line believes that this year, saving where you can is an extremely important factor for parents and students alike.

“Starting university has always been a costly business”, said Ian, “but with universities charging up to £9,000 in fees from 2012, the financial burden is that extra bit heavier.

“As well as saving money, we are also conscious that students leaving the nest can find the new situation very overwhelming and we hope that by parents travelling with them, it will help make settling in that little bit easier.”

One adult can travel on any of Stena Line’s five Irish Sea routes from as little as £79* single and bring a car full of students for free, as well as everything needed for university life including cases of clothes, textbooks, TVs – everything you need to make your new place home from home!

Students not travelling by car can also take advantage of Stena Line’s Sail & Rail offer from Belfast to Glasgow or Edinburgh from only £27** per person single. Student coach fares to Ayr, Glasgow and Edinburgh begin at only £26 single.* Student coach fares to Birmingham, Manchester and London are from only £30 Single.*

For further information or to book, click on www.stenaline.co.uk/student, call 08447 70 70 70 or visit your local travel agent.

* Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. **Valid for single ferry and rail travel from Belfast to Ayr, Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Former X Factor and Pop Star to Opera Star winner, Joe McElderry, will be top billing at next weekend’s Paralympic Flame Festival in Belfast.

The singer will perform as part of the celebrations at City Hall on Saturday, August 25. Also performing on the night will be Luminous Soul and the Open Arts Choir and there will be activities and displays by Disability Sport NI.
Tickets for the event are free and are available from the Belfast Welcome Centre, Donegall Place, on a first come, first served basis.

The special event – sponsored by Games partners BT and Sainsbury’s – will see the grounds of City Hall come alive with music and entertainment ahead of the lantern parade arriving and the showcasing of the Paralympic Agitos on the front of City Hall.

Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Gavin Robinson said: “We are all still on a high from the Olympics and celebrating the achievements of our local athletes. Now here we are, gearing up for another spectacular celebration of sport.
“The Flame Festival, along with the lantern parade, promises to be an unforgettable spectacle for the city. There will be something for everyone with free entertainment and family fun in the grounds of City Hall and I hope people will come along and join us.”

Next Wednesday (August 22) the Northern Irish flame will be lit at the summit of Slieve Donard. A group of young disabled and able-bodied Scouts will go up the mountain to kindle a flame which will then be placed in a miner’s lantern and transferred to Belfast for the Paralympic celebrations.

On the morning of Saturday, August 25, the Northern Ireland flame will be brought to Stormont with seven district councils lighting their own lantern to take back to their respective areas.

The Belfast flame will visit communities across the city ahead of a lantern parade from the Belfast Waterfront to City Hall that evening. The Paralympic cauldron will then be lit at City Hall.

For more information visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/olympics or to enquire about tickets contact the Welcome Centre on 028 9024 6609.

THE Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has invested £200,000 in the expansion of the Downpatrick and County Down Railway tourist attraction to include a new Carriage Gallery and Museum.

Housed in a spectacular building, which harks back to the great Victorian termini, the Carriage Gallery and Museum is now Ireland’s only dedicated carriage gallery which tells the story of the development of railways in Northern Ireland from the 19^th century to today.

The attraction contains vehicles from all over Ireland as well as artefacts and an exhibition of the old railway which used to run between Belfast and Downpatrick.

The museum is an expansion of the already popular Downpatrick and County Down Railway attraction which has been opened since 1987 and runs vintage trains through the drumlin countryside of County Down to Inch Abbey.  The steam train rides operate every weekend of the summer and during special annual events throughout the year such as Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Funding for the new gallery, which will open on August 17, was also provided by the National Lottery Scheme.

NITB’s Destination PR Officer, Pauline Gormley said, “This investment is a major commitment by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to develop and support tourism and attractions in the County Down area.

“The new gallery and museum will make a fantastic day out for families and train enthusiasts and visitors can not only hop onboard a steam train to experience railway travel as your grandparents would have but now they can also explore the history of train transport in the local area,” she continued.

“I’m positive this new attraction will encourage a number of visitors to the area which will in return benefit the local economy,” Pauline added.

There are also a number of other railway and transport attractions across Northern Ireland so why not take some time out to go exploring;

Steam Trains Ireland, Whitehead, Co. Antrim

Whitehead Excursion Station is where all the locomotives and carriages from the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s (RPSI) Northern Ireland collection is stored and maintenance and overhaul is carried out.  The RPSI operates its steam-hauled excursions on the present day Irish railway network from here, for families and railway enthusiasts, with a number of short steam train rides running throughout the year.

Giant’s Causeway & Bushmills Railway, Bushmills, Co. Antrim

Jump onboard and enjoy a truly heritage experience on a steam locomotive along a two mile coastal stretch between the historic town of Bushmills and the famous stone columns of the Giant’s Causeway.  The railway has been built to the Irish narrow gauge of three feet and the carefully planned design of the railway’s station, workshops, carriage sheds and signs hark back to its golden era.  The Giant’s Causeway station offers various facilities including a picnic area, cafe and cark park.

Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, Co. Down

The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum is comprised of two separate museums, the Folk Museum which illustrates the way of life and traditions of people from Northern Ireland in the past and present and the Transport Museum which explores and exhibits methods of transport by land, sea and air in Ireland from its early history to the modern era.  Climb on and off majestic steam locomotives, experience the sensation of flight or explore the museum’s fascinating collection of horse drawn carriages, electric trams, motorbikes, fire-engines and vintage cars.

Headhunters, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh

A trip to Headhunters Barber Shop & Railway Museum is like taking a remarkable journey into the past and bringing the golden age of the railway vividly to life.  Step onboard and enjoy the evocative nostalgia, social heritage and amazing artefacts associated with railways which operated throughout Fermanagh and the border counties until their closure in 1957.  The museum’s fascinating historical exhibition looks at the impact which railways had on people’s lives at a time when it was the gateway to the wider world; stimulating exports, providing greater access to education, enabling honeymoons and encouraging seaside holidays.  Why not combine your visit with a unique opportunity to have your hair professionally styled in the most nostalgic surroundings.

To find out more information about things to do and attractions in Northern Ireland visit www.discovernorthernireland.com

The Belfast Business Awards will recognise the various sectors of local business this year with awards for the Best Creative Business, Best Social Economy and Best Green Business.

In their 7^th year, these awards are among 11 up for grabs to celebrate the fine work and achievements of the Belfast business community. Organised by the City Council in partnership with Belfast City Centre Management (BCCM), the BBAs will take place in the City Hall on Thursday 8 November, hosted by the BBC`s Sarah Travers.

The Best Creative Business Award is sponsored by Invest NI and will recognise the growing importance of the creative industries to the local economy. This category celebrates those businesses whose skill, creativity and innovation delivers world class products, services and designs for its customer base.

The award is open to businesses from the creative industries sector including film, TV, digital media, music and design who can demonstrate, in the last three years – skill, creativity and innovation in the development of a unique product, service or design

Oonagh Hinds, Invest Northern Ireland’s Eastern Regional Manager said: “Invest NI sees the creative industries as a sector with huge potential for generating both wealth and job creation. Belfast has become a hub for digital media, film and television production, music and design companies. Our sponsorship of the Best Creative Business Award will help demonstrate the strength of the sector in the city and show others how successful businesses can be developed through the exploitation of intellectual property.”

The Best Green Business Award, sponsored by Power NI, will celebrate those businesses that have identified opportunities to minimise their impact upon the environment. It is open to businesses that have developed a green product/service or have implemented environmental management policies or principles.

Alan Egner, Business Sales and Marketing Manager from Power NI, said the company was delighted to sponsor the Best Green Business Award this year.

“Sponsorship of the Best Green Business Award is the perfect match as Power NI pioneered ‘green’ energy in Northern Ireland and has been offering renewable energy options to local businesses since 1999,” he said.

“We continue to provide a full range of products and services including discounted fixed and variable contracts plus energy efficiency grants and special offers to help our customers cut their energy costs. I would like to take this opportunity to wish the category entrants the best of luck and we look forward to the prestigious awards evening on 8 November to celebrate business excellence in the city.”

The Best Social Economy Business Award – sponsored by DETI – is open to all social enterprises in the city that have been trading for social or environmental purposes. The award recognises and champions the outstanding work carried out by social entrepreneurs in Belfast and marks the contributions they have made in positively changing the future of their communities.

To enter for these awards or find out more about the Belfast Business Awards 2012, you can visit the awards official website www.belfastbusinessawards.com or telephone 028 9027 0482. The closing date for entries is Friday 14 September.

The Belfast Business Awards` categories this year are `Best International Trade`, `Best New Business`, `Best Green Business`, `Best Hospitality Business`,  ‘Best Creative Business` and ‘Best Social Economy Business`.

There will also be awards for `Best Young Business Person of the Year`,  `Best Business Innovation`,  `Best Business Expansion`; `Customer Excellence in Retail` and the `Best Business Person of the Year`.

Alderman Christopher Stalford, Chairman of Belfast City Council`s Development Committee, said: “The Belfast Business Awards 2012 will give local businesses a chance to shine by showcasing the excellent contribution they make towards the development of our city.

“Winning an award will be a mark of quality that brings real prestige to any business. I would encourage companies and businessmen and women from across the city to sign up for the awards which are free to enter!”

The council would like to thank our sponsors this year – Victoria Square (Best Young Business Person of the Year); University of Ulster (Best Business Innovation); Profile (Best Business Expansion); DETI (Best Social Economy Business); Northern Ireland Tourist Board (Best Hospitality Business); Firmus Energy (Best New Business); Power NI (Best Green Business); Invest NI (Best Creative Business); Castle Court (Customer Excellence – Retail); DELL (Business Person of the Year) and Barclays Bank (Best International Trade).