Work is progressing on Belfast’s newest hotel, as the Beannchor Group announces it plans to open its highly anticipated new £4M hotel, Bullitt Belfast to the public this October.

The brainchild of the people behind the city’s five-star Merchant Hotel, The National Grande Café/sixty6, The Dirty Onion, Little Wing Pizzeria and over 40 pubs across Northern Ireland – the new hotel promises to bring a new and exciting hospitality concept to Belfast.

As construction of the new hotel steps up a gear, media were given a first sneak peek of the property, which wraps Victoria Street and Ann Street with a guided hard hat tour on Tuesday 2^nd August.

Named after the Steve McQueen movie of the same name, Bullitt Belfast is a vibrant new concept that will provide a cool new space for people to Work, Play and Stay in the heart of the city. It will feature 43 stylish bedrooms, three bars (including Baltic, NI’s first ski-themed bar), a courtyard garden, 68-seater restaurant ‘Taylor and Clay’, an Espresso bar and a versatile private events space.

Blurring the lines between work and play, this urban playground will be the perfect hangout spot, with a relaxed atmosphere and laid back sophisticated vibe.

Accommodation comes in three options with double rooms and twin rooms, ranging from compact to spacious, and apartment accommodation planned for the second phase of the development.

In addition to the positive economic impact of the new hotel, which will create 100 new jobs when it opens, Bullitt will assist in fulfilling the demand for additional hotel bed space in Belfast.  The city ranked first for hotel occupancy rates, standing at 84%, in a market tracking index released in March this year (Colliers International UK Hotels Market Index).
Commenting on the announcement, Conall Wolsey, director, Beannchor said:

“Our vision for Bullitt is to create a new and exciting hospitality concept.  The hotel will offer so much more than just a bed for the night, it will also be a place where people can work, relax and socialise.

“It will be a space for meetings, coffee and lunch during the day and a place to meet and mingle over cocktails and food at night.  Also on offer will be an eclectic calendar of events for both locals and visitors to enjoy.

“Design, technology and efficiency are at the heart of all of our plans; the hotel will be equipped with super-fast Wi-Fi, the only Kees Van der Weston coffee machine in Ireland, super-fast check-ins for guests, NI’s first ski-themed bar and of course, stylish bedrooms.

“Bullitt will also provide a welcome boost to the NI jobs market.  We’re proud to be creating 100 new jobs that will offer employees a unique and exciting opportunity to work in an innovative setting and to become part of our business, which creates meaningful and rewarding long-term careers.”

For more information, visit bullitthotel.com, follow @bullittbelfast on Twitter or like Bullitt Belfast on Facebook.

**Programme now available!

Experience and enjoy some of the best art and craft Northern Ireland has to offer at the Creative Peninsula, a superb fun, friendly and creative series of events taking place in Ards and North Down from Friday 4 until Sunday 14 August.

Now in its 15th year, the Creative Peninsula, organised by Ards and North Down Borough Council, offers a range of free and bookable opportunities for people of all ages and levels of experience to see, learn about and even ‘try their hand’ at some of the many art and craft forms that are practiced in the local area.

Highlights of the 2016 programme include:

• Creative coach tours visiting the many art and craft studios that are often not open to the public.  Meet the Artists and Makers, watch then at work and of course treat yourself to a unique piece of artwork.

• Creative workshops for adults and young people, which offer the opportunity to learn and develop painting, drawing and craft work skills with teaching from a range of local experts. Including the immensely popular creative café series where you and a friend can combine a coffee, cake and catch up with the fun challenge of making some jewellery or ceramic items for the home.

• Outdoor experiences such as wood carving in the Bangor Castle Walled Garden, where you can see artists at work and learn how they take inspiration from the beautiful surroundings of the local area.

• Creative development workshops, aimed at professional and semi-professional Visual Artists and Makers will explore how to achieve the very best opportunities for your creative business. From building a selling platform to having the best images for your work.

The 10 days of creativity starts with ‘Craft in the Square’ at Conway Square in Newtownards on Friday 5 August.  For one day only the space will be transformed into a creative hub with more than 35 artists and makers displaying and selling their work and talking about what inspires them.  Free demonstrations including silver jewellery design, watercolour painting, linocutting and woodturning will run throughout the day.

Welcoming the return of the popular annual event, Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alderman Deborah Girvan, said:

““With one of the largest concentrations of Artists and Craftspeople living and working in Northern Ireland, Ards and North Down is home to a thriving creative industry.  The Creative Peninsula gives visitors the unique opportunity to see some of the very best of local arts and crafts, and to meet and engage with the makers behind the pieces.”

“Whether you just want to observe and soak up the atmosphere, or you prefer to try your hand at making, this year’s programme offers something for everyone.  I hope to welcome many visitors to our Craft in the Square event, on our coach tours and at our creative workshops.”

The 2016 Creative Peninsula brochure is available to download at visitardsandnorthdown.com//creative-peninsula.  Tickets for bookable events are also available from this website.

You can pick up a programme or find out more information on all the events on offer from Ards Arts Centre, Ards Crafts and North Down Museum, at any of the local visitor information centres (Ards, Bangor, Groomsport and Portaferry) or by contacting the Council directly on 0300 013 3333.

This Sunday, August 7 the Ards and North Down Music In The Park programme will take on a more traditional air with lively jigs & reels from Bangor-based trad group Inverberg.

Following on from the huge success of the first ever Ulster Fleadh in Bangor, the band stand will provide the perfect setting for a showcase of some of the finest up-and-coming traditional musicians from the local area.

Bring a rug and a picnic and enjoy a lively afternoon of traditional folk songs and tunes.

This is a free event and runs from 3pm to 5pm.

Please note that Ward Park is an alcohol-free zone. All events are weather dependent and therefore subject to change. This year’s music programme is being provided by Open House Festival.

Keep an eye out in local press each week for details on each artist or for more information phone Bangor Visitor Information Centre on 028 9127 0069 or visit:

www.visitardsandnorthdown.com

SSE ARENA, BELFAST: WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER

3ARENA, DUBLIN: THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER

Bastille have announced their much anticipated live return with their biggest headline shows to date at the SSE Arena, Belfast on November 9^th and 3Arena, Dublin on November 10^th.

Tickets now on sale from:

The SSE Arena, Belfast Box Office: Tel. 02890 739074
Book on Line: www.ssearenabelfast.com

Ticketmaster: In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide
By Telephone (24 Hour):   0844 277 44 55 (ROL: 0818 719300)
Book On Line: www.ticketmaster.ie

At first glance the striking artwork for Bastille’s second album, ‘Wild World’, may prompt a number of questions. Who are the two individuals balanced precariously above a cityscape? Why are they there? What will happen next? But Dan Smith’s own interpretation of the image is one that runs through many of the songs on Wild World, “To me, the image isn’t about what’s just happened or what happens next,” he begins. “It’s not about how they got there or how they get down. It’s about showing a moment — two friends existing in that split second in that exact space, two people framed in the vast context of this huge mad metropolis that we’ve all built. They’re there out of choice.”

It’s just five years since South Londoner, Dan, started Bastille alone in his bedroom, releasing 300 copies of Bastille’s debut single. Relentless gigging, genuine word of mouth and some smartly curated mixtapes meant that within three years, Bastille became a global phenomenon; the band’s chart-conquering debut album ‘Bad Blood’ selling over 4m albums alongside 11m singles. In the UK, the twice Number One album was certified double-platinum and named the biggest-selling digital album of 2013. Hit singles ‘Pompeii’, ‘Flaws’, ‘Laura Palmer’ and ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’ helped Bastille become that year’s biggest-selling global breakthrough act, with over a billion Spotify streams and in turn earning the band British Breakthrough at the following year’s Brits, along with two Grammy nominations. They have also collaborated with acts like Haim, Kate Tempest and Angel Haze, and Dan co-founded and co-runs an indie label, Best Laid Plans, helping to develop acts like Rag ’N’ Bone Man and Rationale.

And that, it turns out, was only the beginning. Bastille’s second album ‘Wild World’ retains the vivid, rich, filmic song-writing of its predecessor but pushes the band’s distinctive sound in exciting new directions. Lyrically, too, it’s a leap forward. “If our first album was about growing up and freaking out about it” Dan explains, “Our second is about trying to make sense of the world around you, both as you see it and as it’s presented to you through the media. It’s also about asking questions of the world and of the people in it. We wanted the album to be a bit disorientating – at times extroverted and introverted, light and dark.”

A sense of escapism runs through ‘Wild World’, but at the heart of it all is a fascination with the human condition, and the relationships we all forge, fight over and sometimes forget. “The world can seem fucked up,” Dan concludes. “But people — well, people can be amazing. The relationships you choose to have in your life are the main solace. They’re the things that make life awesome.”

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Top tips from the BFG – Big Ferry Giant – as Kids Go Free by sea

Families up and down the country are excitedly anticipating their summer break but it’s not just the destination that makes a holiday with the family so special, getting there can be real fun too.  If your time away involves a journey by car then here are some ideas that will turn a trip on four wheels into a dream journey.  And if you’ve not booked yet then taking your car across the Irish Sea makes financial sense too, as right now, for a limited time, Kids Go Free on all of Stena Line’s sailings to Britain.

Firstly, there are certain things the kids, or ‘the experts’, don’t want during their car journey.  They don’t want Mum and Dad’s music on replay or a snack of Ryvita with cucumber and humus to stave off the hunger.  They want to become intrepid explorers like Dora and Indiana Jones by turning the car journey into an action packed adventure.  They want to impress with their selfie skills, all round knowledge, win some prizes and maybe even go Pokemon hunting.

Not to be mixed up with Roald Dahl’s creation, the BFG in this instance is the Big Ferry Giant, Stena Line, who understands the importance of enjoying the journey as a key part of the holiday and although they already have children’s entertainers during the summer, dedicated games rooms and play areas as well as free Wi-Fi, free movies and great eateries to make your ferry trip a dream, they are also keen to make travel to their ports as pleasurable as possible.

So after getting the low-down from the kids, Stena Line has come up with these top tips to turn up the holiday fun factor:

• Hooray for Hollywood … bring a portable DVD player for the kids and let Hollywood work its magic while you peacefully chew up the miles.  And the movie marathon doesn’t stop there as there are free movies onboard all of Stena Line’s vessels
• Name that tune … play the kids a few seconds of a song and see if they can guess it!  They get a little bit more of the song each time until they get it right.
• Hey Mr DJ … bring headphones for any devices the children may have so they can enjoy their movie or music without any annoyance – then everyone is happy.
• YumYum … pre-pack a few pots of different, non-messy foods to keep the kids happy in the back seats but not too many liquids!  Small packets of fruit or even healthy snack bars are perfect for this and screw top sippy cups are great for young ones and juice boxes for older children.  Promise them a treat when you stop for a comfort break to stretch your legs but only if they behave!
• Eye, eye captain … kids and big kids love to play eye spy but mix it up a bit by asking them to spot animals or different coloured cars.  And don’t forget to let the kids win!
• Chit chat … get everyone to turn off their games, put down their books and have a discussion that could last for hours about a variety of subjects including your last holiday, history and favourite movies.  Not only will it while away the time but you will learn a lot about how your child feels and thinks.

Orla Noonan, Head of Travel, Irish Sea, Stena Line, said: “Adults, we know you’ve done your bit to prepare for your holiday with the kids so, if you are travelling by ferry, it’s time to let us do ours!  Not only do Kids Go Free all year with Stena Line but there is so much going on onboard that you get a break from being the entertainer.”

Orla added: “Our teams of dedicated children’s entertainers will make sure that there is enough singing, dancing and games to play to satisfy even the most energetic of children, giving you a bit of relaxation time before resuming your journey.  In fact, there is so much for the kids to do that they won’t want to leave!”

Get online and get booking now as this incredible Kids Go Free offer won’t last forever.  Book by clicking on www.stenaline.co.uk/kids

* Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.  See online for further details.

Dementia NI invite people who live with a diagnosis of dementia, to join their local empowerment group.

Group members support each other through friendship and understanding, particularly after a recent diagnosis of dementia.

Members help influence how people can live well after a diagnosis, and raise awareness by telling others what life is like to live with dementia. By engaging with various organisations throughout Northern Ireland, we inform them of how to make their services, policies and practice more suitable for people like us living with dementia.

The Dementia NI groups which run throughout Northern Ireland, give people living with dementia the opportunity to have a voice, and remain active and part of their community.

For more information on your local group visit our website at www.dementiani.org, call us on: 02890 686768 or email: info@dementiani.org

The seaside town of Bangor will be opening its doors on Monday for the month-long 2016 Open House Festival.

The annual Bangor festival is now in its fourth year, and with more than 120 events taking place in 40 venues and locations across the town, it has become something of an institution.

“The Festival attracts more and more visitors with each passing year,” says Open House Director, Kieran Gilmore. “Last year we welcomed over 20,000 people to the town, nearly 40% of whom were from outside of Bangor, and 3% from outside of Northern Ireland. We’re confident the numbers attending this year will be even higher, especially as the programme is more varied and diverse than ever.”

Highlights include appearances by an eclectic range of literary, comedy and musical icons such as Alexi Sayle, Tom Robinson, Suggs, The Damned and Ian Rankin. There’s home-grown talent in the form of West End star, Niamh Perry, mentalist, David Meade, and Derry based indie band, Ports. Acts from across the pond include US singer-songwriters Sam Beam of Iron and Wine with Jesca Hoop, collectively known as Iron and Wine, the popular six-piece American roots band, Spirit Family Reunion, and redneck folk group, Foghorn Stringband. There will be Shakespeare in a garden, theatre in an auction room, outdoor cinema, magic acts, literary events, music on boats, in parks, on an island and in plenty of pubs.

In the Tourism NI Year of Food and Drink, wining and dining will play a huge part throughout the month, with a total of 26 food and drink events, including the Sundown Market on Friday 19^th August. “This will be one of the biggest and best celebrations of local artisan produce that Northern Ireland has ever seen,” says Kieran. “There’ll be over 50 producers visiting Bangor that night, with a selection of street-food stalls, a pop up craft beer bar, and some great live music.”

Aine Kearney, Director of Business Support and Events Tourism Northern Ireland commented: “To coincide with the Year of Food and Drink 2016, the Open House Festival has an impressive program filled with 26 food events, 23 of which have already sold out. From pop up restaurants to the biggest artisan market in Northern Ireland, the Sundown market, Open House Bangor’s food events offer tourists from at home and abroad the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the best of local produce.”

Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alderman Deborah Girvan said: “Ards and North Down Borough Council is delighted to be supporting the festival for the fourth year running. As the festival grows it continues to bring an exciting mix of both local and international artists to the area. I wish the festival every success for the month ahead and I am thoroughly looking forward to experiencing all that this years’ programme has to offer.”

Many events have already sold out, but there is still plenty of availability, and as over half of the events are free, there’s plenty of opportunity to grab a slice of the festival atmosphere.

The growing sense of excitement throughout the town is palpable. “This festival has made the people of Bangor proud of their town again,” says Kieran. “They want to be a part of it; they’re proud to say ‘look what we have here, look where we live – isn’t it great!’ The sense of ownership the festival brings is very real, and extremely contagious. We can’t wait!”

Open House Festival Bangor 2016 is supported by Ards and North Down Borough Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Tourism NI and NI Year of Food and Drink.

For more information and tickets, go to www.openhousefestival.com

ARMOY Road Races will be aired on Channel 4 as a one hour highlights programme for the third year running.  The programme will be shown at 07.30am on Saturday 13^th August 2016, just two weeks after the races.

Renowned for its coverage of sport, Channel 4 and its on demand service, 4OD, sees the Armoy Road Races as a great fit for its programming and hopes to continue to build on last year’s strong viewing figures, which saw over 250,000 people tuning in.

William Munnis, Chairman of the Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club said; “We are delighted that Armoy Road Races will feature on Channel 4 again this year.  The coverage provides many existing and potential new fans with the opportunity to view the races from a different perspective.

“Television coverage has become crucial in promoting our sport, especially as there are many fans from around the world who can’t make it to Armoy and it may also encourage new fans to come along next year. The Club could not achieve such coverage on their own and this deal could not have been struck without the aid of Tourism Ireland.

“It is important that we continue to highlight road racing and would like to thank Channel 4 for agreeing to feature the Armoy Road Races again.”

Aubrey Irwin, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Northern Ireland said; “Tourism Ireland is supporting the production of a highlights programme of the Armoy Road Races, which will air on Channel 4 for the third year running.  Last year’s programme was seen by more than 250,000 viewers across Great Britain – with wonderful images of the Causeway Coast and Glens area, as well as the exciting racing, shining a spotlight on Northern Ireland.

“Armoy attracts a number of the sport’s top riders and this year includes some from Australia, Canada and mainland Europe.  The highlights programme on Channel 4 is part of Tourism Ireland’s activity to leverage the tourism benefits of sporting events – showcasing the spectacular scenery of Northern Ireland and encouraging potential overseas visitors to come and see it for themselves.”

Local man, Graham Little and his team at NPE Media will once again be responsible for the production of the programme. Graham is an experienced sports presenter who covered road racing during his time at UTV and is also well known for his work with Sky Sports and with the BBC’s Moto GP coverage a few years ago.

He said;  “Armoy Road Races goes from strength to strength each year and we really enjoy working with the Club as they work tirelessly to promote the event. To see both local and international riders return year on year is testament to the calibre of the racing and we are looking forward to being part of the event once again. The programme featuring on Channel 4 gives the event a huge deal of publicity, which can only encourage more people to support it in the future.”

Armoy Road Races is part funded by Tourism Northern Ireland and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. Bike Week runs from Sunday 24^th July until Saturday 30^th July 2016 with the SGS International ‘Race of Legends’ featuring on the Saturday 30^th July 2016.

Channel 4 will be showing the Armoy Road Races coverage at 07.30am on Saturday 13^th August 2016 and on 4OD thereafter.

For more information visit www.amrrc.com or search for ‘AMRRC’ on Facebook and join the official fan page and you can also follow us on twitter at @ArmoyRoadRaces.

Summer slapstick comedy is back at The Market Place Theatre in Armagh with one of Northern Ireland’s leading amateur theatre companies, Belvoir Players, and their production of Sam Cree’s ‘Separate Beds’.

Judy Marshall is facing the biggest day of her life with her wedding to Alan Rea fast approaching. Judy’s actress mother, currently separated from her father Arthur, is planning to return to the family home for the nuptials. Alan’s mother is a rather straight-laced North Antrim woman who steadfastly believes that marriage is “till death us do part!”

Can they keep the separation secret? With Ivy, the maid, who has a fondness for Arthur’s Brandy; an interior decorator, Andy Crawford, who has already spent three weeks re-painting the bedroom while awaiting the arrival of his eighth off-spring; an amorous neighbour, Madge Wirsall who has her eye on Arthur and a retired vicar who is standing in for the local minister and gets very confused with the facts, and you have the pot-pourri of characters to make a hilarious evening’s entertainment from the pen of Ulster’s favourite playwright, Sam Cree.

‘Separate Beds’ will be staged on Friday 5^th and Saturday 6^th August at 8pm. Tickets are priced £11 and £9 (concession), and can be booked through the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821 or online at www.marketplacearmagh.com

And to keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.

On Saturday 6^th August, the Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh will celebrate the ancient Celtic Festival of Lunasa in style with a Wickerman Gathering.

Lunasa was a time when the Celts called on the sun god Lugh to bring them sun and warm weather guaranteeing a bountiful harvest.
Join us for this celebration with living history performances, live music, the Armagh Rhymers, dancing, crafts, fire & flame demos and finish the evening with the burning of a 30ft Wickerman.

Live music from local band Tamna Ceili, and foot tapping tunes from the Down & Out Bluegrass Band, and some great sounds from the Trad & Folk Experience.

Take part in some taster sessions to relax, rejuvenate and refresh in our Mindfulness area. Try your hand at pottery making, adorn your head with your very own creation in our head dress making workshop and enjoy some story telling with the amazing Armagh Rhymers.

Paint by numbers, Celtic style, and see a masterpiece develop as the evening progresses.  Browse our craft stalls, with unusual crafts from NI producers including Origami Rita who creates wonderful shapes and structures using the ancient skill of origami.  Be amazed at the range of paper flowers and hand poured candles by local artisan Kimaria, they even have an ‘Armagh’ fragranced candle!  Just a few ideas of the crafts on display.

Get involved in our ceili dancing sessions, never danced before?  Don’t worry, we will guide you step by step, through this…great fun for all the family.

The sounds of the Sambanimals and the sights of the breath-taking fire-dancers Fire Poise will signal the highlight of the evening, the burning of the 30ft Wickerman.

Pre-Booking Essential on www.armagh.co.uk/wickerman

For information please contact: Navan Centre & Fort, 81 Killylea Road, Armagh.  BT60 4LD.  Tel 028 3752 9644