Ardmore has been named People’s Choice UK Independent Agency of the Year at the Creativepool Annual 10th Year Anniversary Awards
Creative advertising and marketing agency Ardmore has topped the poll in this year’s Creativepool Awards 2023, securing a sought-after first-place position as the People’s Choice UK Independent Agency of the Year.
As one of the world’s most renowned branding and advertising annual awards, the Creativepool Awards celebrate the creative industry’s best achievements.
Based near Belfast in Northern Ireland, Ardmore is one of the UK and Ireland’s top, multi-award-winning creative agencies, driving results for its clients through strategic advertising, media, social and digital marketing and design.
Held in London’s prestigious St John’s Smith Square, Ardmore received the coveted Creativepool award after a record vote that places it among the best agencies in the world.
Ardmore Executive Creative Director Paul Bowen, said:
“In a competitive, rapidly changing industry where creativity, ideas and results still matter most, I’m thrilled that our thinking, our approach and the results we deliver for our clients have been so roundly recognised and celebrated at this year’s Creativepool Awards,”
With a 70-strong team, the Ardmore Group of companies is a recognised industry leader and represents private and public sector organisations and brands including Belfast City Council, Brand USA, Dale Farm, Department for Infrastructure, Department of Justice, Destination British Columbia, GR8 Fires, eir evo, Lidl, MCS Group, The Northern Ireland Executive Office, Network Rail, Phoenix Energy, Progressive Building Society, Rushmere, Starplan Furniture, Stena Line and Translink.
“Winning this award is an official testament to the huge talent and hard work of our team and to our longstanding commitment to always innovate, inspire and lead award-winning campaigns that drive impact, action and which yield outstanding results,” Deputy Managing Director Miriam Moertl, added.
Ardmore has achieved a surplus of awards in recent years, including gold at the 2023 Drum Roses awards and bronze at the National Media Awards for its work with the Northern Ireland Department of Justice. Ardmore was placed in The top 30 UK creative regional agencies for 2022 by Campaign magazine.
More recently, the agency has been named a finalist in the 2023 CIM Global Marketing Excellence Awards as Best Employer Brand Campaign for its work with Stena Line and a finalist in the 2023 National Transport Awards for Campaign of the Year for its work with Translink.
Ardmore is a longstanding partner and shareholder in Worldwide Partners Inc (WPI), a global network of 83 independent agencies in 44 countries, who collaborate and work together as one to harness their creativity, local expertise and diversified capabilities to deliver meaningful campaigns for a range of international brands.
Belfast’s hotels go green in major sustainability shift
Record 75 percent of Belfast’s hotel bedrooms now meet sustainability standards with Green Tourism accreditation
Following a groundbreaking partnership led by Visit Belfast, Belfast City Council and Green Tourism in 2021, hoteliers across Belfast are ramping up their green credentials at a record rate. Seventy five percent of the city region’s 4,800 hotel rooms are now officially accredited by Green Tourism, the global body which promotes sustainable and environmental standards across the sector.
More than 20 leading hotels, groups and brands, including Hastings Hotels, The Merchant Hotel, Bullitt Hotel, Andras House Hotel Group, Titanic Hotel Belfast, AC Hotel Belfast, Clayton Hotel, The Maldron Belfast City Centre, The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Hilton Belfast, the Leonardo Hotel, Malmaison Hotel, The Harrison, Radisson Blu and Ramada by Wyndham have all secured a Green Tourism award in a drive to support Belfast’s sustainable tourism mission.
The Green Tourism Standard – one of the largest and most established sustainable certification programmes in the world – recognises an organisation that works responsibly, ethically and sustainably, contributes to their community, is reducing their impact on the environment and aims to be accessible and inclusive to all visitors and staff.
Now, 75 percent, or around 3,570 of all Belfast hotel bedrooms, are sustainability certified.
To mark the milestone achievement, Visit Belfast, the city’s dedicated destination marketing and management organisation, in partnership with Green Tourism and the Global Destination Management Movement (GDSM), has launched a sustainability whitepaper, acting as a blueprint to support the entire tourism industry’s efforts to tackle the climate change challenge, drive sustainability and embrace net zero.
Belfast has already made great strides in embracing sustainability and transiting to a zero carbon and circular tourism and hospitality sector. In 2022, it was ranked the Top 10 Most Sustainable Destinations in the World in the annual GDS Index - a world-leading sustainability benchmarking and performance improvement programme for destinations and their visitor economies. Climbing eleven places since 2021 to take the eighth spot, places Belfast as the most sustainable destination in the Island of Ireland.
Belfast City Council declared a climate change emergency in October 2019 and unveiled the city’s first Climate Plan in 2020 with Visit Belfast leading out on the ‘sustainable tourism’ transformation programme.
Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, Chair of Belfast City Council’s Climate and City Resilience Committee, said:
“We know there’s significant work ahead for us as a city to become truly sustainable but being rated in the Top 10 Global Destinations Sustainability Index is very encouraging - and that’s thanks to the efforts of Visit Belfast and our city’s tourism meetings industry.
“We’re serious about making sustainable changes. The Net Zero Carbon Roadmap was developed by the Belfast Climate Commission and the council adopted those carbon targets in 2022. A Local Area Energy Plan is now being developed, and The Belfast Agenda, currently out for consultation, also sets out a bold plan to tackle climate change. Collective design, delivery and partnership is the way forward.”
Launching the white paper, Sustainable tourism for cities and stakeholders, and the Belfast model for success, which is co-authored by Green Tourism, Visit Belfast and the GDS Movement, Scott Maclean, Green Tourism’s managing director said:
“We see this white paper as a pathway for others to instigate changes and improvements that put sustainability at the heart of their tourism sector and hope it can be seen as a blueprint for excellence for all forward-thinking destinations. Green Tourism is enormously proud to have played a part in Belfast’s transition alongside all our partners and, of course, all the newly accredited Green Tourism member businesses.”
Celebrating the hotel sector’s performance and the launch of the whitepaper, Rachael McGuickin, Director of Business Development, Sustainability and Transformation at Visit Belfast, said:
“The commitment of Belfast’s tourism and hospitality sector to support our ambitious sustainability journey is nothing short of remarkable. With our valued partners on board, we are not only improving our ability to compete globally for visitors and events, but we are also enabling Belfast to become a more sustainable place to visit, meet and live in.”
For more information on Green Tourism and to view the whitepaper sustainable tourism for cities and stakeholders, and the Belfast model for success, please visit: https://www.green-tourism.com/destinations.
Lookers unveils £1.8 million transformation at Kia Chester
The new, state-of-the-art dealership is now open to the public
One of the UK’s leading automotive retail and service groups, Lookers, has relaunched its Kia dealership in Chester following a major £1.8 million transformation of the site.
The redevelopment, which got under way in March, encompassed a full internal refit as well as the introduction of a new indoor handover bay and exterior integrated valet bay.
Built to exacting and sustainable specifications and packed with modern designs and digital innovations, the Sealand Road site represents a powerful showcase of Kia’s expanding range of electric and hybrid models and will also incorporate a wide selection of quality used cars.
Incorporating the latest Kia brand concept, the transformed site reflects Lookers’ commitment to sustainability and quality customer service, with four new rapid electric vehicle charge points, as well as a stylish and comfortable customer zone, a service reception and seven-car capacity showroom.
Scott Innes, General Manager at Lookers Kia Chester, said:
“We’re incredibly excited to be able to share our state-of-the-art facility with Lookers’ customers, which gives us the perfect platform to showcase Kia’s award-winning range of vehicles in world-class surroundings.
“Our initial events have been a huge success and proved that all the hard work was worth it. We’d like to thank all our staff and customers for their patience during the refurbishment period, and we’re confident that we can all agree this fantastic transformation has been worth the wait.
“Such a significant investment from Lookers in this upgrade at our Chester dealership reflects our ongoing commitment to working with Kia, with whom we have a long-standing and successful relationship. We look forward to sharing this exciting retail experience with our customers.”
The dramatically improved dealership was relaunched with a family fun weekend in September, followed by a launch event for the new fully electric SUV Kia EV9, which will be available at the Chester site. Over 200 customers took the opportunity to visit the site, and more are welcome to witness the transformation for themselves.
Duncan McPhee, Chief Operating Officer at Lookers said:
“Kia is an important partner for Lookers which is why we absolutely delighted to relaunch our Sealand Road site so that we can perfectly showcase what this outstanding brand has to offer.”
Kia is one of the UK’s Top 10 best-selling car brands, with a record-breaking 100,000 sales recorded in 2022, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Electrification has been key to Kia brand’s success, with the brand reaching the 50,000 EV sales milestone in July 2023.
The new Kia EV9 is set to be the flagship for the company’s electric line-up. The top-spec version of the large SUV comes with a 99.6kWh battery and can do up to 336 miles on a full charge. On sale now, deliveries will begin in the first half of 2024.
Founded in Manchester in 1908, Lookers represents more than 30 leading car manufacturers in more than 150 dealerships, employing 6,500 people across the UK and Ireland.
Lookers and MG Motor UK agree strategic partnership to drive new EV growth
Lookers to acquire Brighton MG dealership and launch the fast-growing car brand in Worcester in latest investment
Lookers Group has agreed a major partnership with one of the UK’s fastest-growing car brands, MG, bringing the iconic British heritage marque to two new sites in England as part of its accelerated growth strategy.
In its newest dealership expansion, Lookers Group, one of the UK’s leading automotive and service groups, announced it has agreed terms to acquire independent dealership Brighton MG for an undisclosed sum. It also confirmed that it would launch the MG car brand in Worcester early in 2024.
Brighton MG is located in Southwick on Old Shoreham Road in West Sussex and combines high-quality service and experience. All 14 staff at the site will transfer to Lookers.
Lookers said the new partnership with MG Motor UK – a first for the company – would help drive new EV sales growth with one of Britain’s best-loved and fastest-selling brands.
Duncan McPhee, Lookers’ Chief Operating Officer, said:
“With 100 years of experience, MG has proven its mettle and global success through outstanding innovation, technology and design and is now leading the way for a new era of all-electric driving with an exciting and growing suite of award-winning vehicles.
At Lookers, we are committed to being the UK’s number one choice for EV sales, advice and aftercare support and we’re delighted to represent MG in Brighton and Worcester.”
Guy Pigounakis, Commercial Director, MG Motor UK, said:
“We are delighted to partner with Lookers in two strategic locations. We are certain that Lookers’ professionalism matched with our fantastic product range will be a great success. There are some exciting product launches ahead for the MG brand so Lookers join us at just the right time.”
Day Lewis logs in to Locate a Locum to digitise flexi staff resourcing in innovative new deal
Locate a Locum appointed by leading UK pharmacy chain to deliver next-generation digital platform across 267 pharmacies
Day Lewis Pharmacy, one of the UK and Europe’s largest independent pharmacy chains, has appointed healthcare technology innovator Locate a Locum to deliver and maintain a powerful new digital solution to improve locum resourcing and management across its 267-strong pharmacy network.
Locate a Locum, an award-winning, pioneering on-demand provider of technology solutions to the UK healthcare sector, has already secured preferred supplier status with several of the UK’s largest pharmacy and optical organisations.
The fast-growing Belfast-based company will now deliver a major cloud-based digital solution across the Day Lewis Pharmacy estate, providing locums with a new and innovative way to securely search, manage, request and get paid directly for shifts, dramatically improving its staff resourcing and team management capabilities.
The Locate a Locum digital platform, which will supply streamlined scheduling functionality and reporting to the company’s locum coordinators in its Croydon head office, also allows locum staff to better manage their own work diaries, location preferences and commitments, allowing them stress-free planning for healthier work-life balance.
Day Lewis Pharmacy Executive Director Sam Patel said:
“We had an old, slow proprietary platform and we wanted something faster and more user-friendly that would allow more locums to book instantly rather than necessarily waiting for feedback on every single shift booked – and particularly for last-minute bookings.
It’s a great communication tool between potential locums and our locum coordinators and it means we have more opportunities to bring some of best locums in the country to come and work with us. Our customers are our number one priority and ensuring that they have the best staff and advice available when they need it is our priority too.”
From Darlington in County Durham to St Just in the tip of Cornwall, Day Lewis’ network supports over one million patients and employs over 2,500 staff.
“The Locate a Locum platform means we can pay our locums quickly, in time and in full, while locums benefit from the instant-book feature, which means they don’t have to wait to find out if a shift is confirmed. In a dynamic marketplace and amid growing demand for pharmacy services, this platform is a game-changer that unlocks potential and drives growth,” Sam Patel said.
Locate a Locum, which was founded by chief executive and trained pharmacist Jonathon Clarke in 2017, currently represents over 30 pharmacy organisations in 3,000 locations across the UK and Northern Ireland.
The Locate a Locum platform has over 30,000 registered locum pharmacists, representing the largest pool of locum pharmacists in the UK.
“Day Lewis Pharmacy is one of the UK and Europe’s biggest success stories and an award-winning employee-focused organisation that puts customers first and we’re delighted to be appointed to deliver an innovative, tech-rich solution that will support its continued growth ambitions,” Jonathon Clarke said.
We worked closely with Sam and the team to meet their needs, ensuring efficiency, transparency and operational performance would assist in powering digital transformation and accelerating business growth.”
The new technology will be deployed in all its pharmacy outlets, and at head office, providing managers with an easy online solution to plan and manage staff rotas for seamless planning to ensure all locations are always resourced.
Established in 2017, Locate a Locum is an award-winning, pioneering on-demand provider of technology solutions to the UK pharmacy sector, driving digital transformation and value for the betterment of business, staff and customers.
In 2021, Locate a Locum was included in the UK’s Top 50 scaleup companies by tech group Silicon Valley Comes to the UK (SVC2UK), joining a select list of the country’s fastest-growing firms driving tech innovation and creativity.
In November last year, Locate a Locum joined Deloitte’s Fast 50 group of companies for the first time at 18th place, ranking it among the island of Ireland’s fastest-growing technology companies based on revenue growth over a four-year period.
Lookers in new charity challenge as epic 935km Eastbourne to Edinburgh cycle ride looms
Lookers to raise funds for Action for Children after raising over £150,000 last year for Macmillan Cancer Support and Papyrus
The countdown is on for a top team of cyclists at one of the UK’s leading automotive retail and service groups, Lookers, after 40 employees – including chief executive Mark Raban and chief operating officer Duncan McPhee – signed up for a new, more demanding bike ride challenge for 2023.
From Eastbourne to Edinburgh, four teams of 10 will cycle 935 kilometres across eight stages to raise funds for Action for Children, a charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable children, young people and their families.
Last year, Lookers raised more than £150,000 for suicide prevention charity Papyrus and Macmillan Cancer Support after a trekking team of 20 staff from right across the group cycled a gruelling 650 kilometres from Birmingham to Scotland and across the Irish Sea to Belfast.
Setting off from Eastbourne on Friday 1 September, Lookers’ teams will crisscross England, taking in several major dealership locations before crossing Hadrian’s Wall and into Scotland for a final stopover – and a big welcoming party – in Edinburgh on 8 September.
In total, the journey will cover an epic 935 kilometres – a 45 percent hike on last year.
Leading this year’s epic charity journey is Lookers’ chief operating officer Duncan McPhee.
“From the incredible support we received from across the group, from staff, customers and partners last year, we’re delighted to be embarking on a fresh challenge this year to raise vital funds for Action for Children which works to protect and support thousands of vulnerable children from right across the UK while providing practical and emotional care and support.
“I’m also very proud that we’re doubling the number of riders this year to a record 40 staff. We’re grateful for the support of our colleagues and customers along the way and look forward to making a positive impact on the important work which Action for Children delivers.”
Other senior team members from the Executive Committee and Operations Committee, as well as many employees are signed up to take part, including Lookers’ director of customer engagement Karen Prince, business development director Andrew Hall and company secretary Philip Kenny.
Representing a significant commitment by Lookers, the event will also be supported by a qualified team of medics, mechanics and experienced riders to help guide and support the Lookers novice peloton to a successful completion.
Locks Farmer, managing director of fundraising, communications and policy at Action for Children said:
“We are delighted to be the charity of choice for the Lookers 2023 bike ride from Eastbourne to Edinburgh. What an amazing challenge to take on.
“Thank you so much to the cyclists and wider Lookers family who are raising awareness and funds for vulnerable children and young people. Lookers’ support will make a huge impact, helping us on our mission to ensure every child has a safe and happy childhood.”
This year, four teams of 10 will stop off at locations including Guildford, Aylesbury, Tring, Uppingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Ripon, Newcastle, Lindisfarne and Musselburgh en route from Eastbourne to Edinburgh.
For more information and details of how to support the team raising funds for Action for Children, follow #LookersE2E.
To support the team and Action for Children directly, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/lookers-cycle-2023
Belfast hosts Europe’s largest archaeology conference
Belfast hosts Europe’s largest archaeology conference with more than 3,000 delegates
European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) annual conference for 2023 runs from 30 August to 2 September
Belfast will this month host Europe’s largest annual gathering of archaeologists when the city will welcome more than 3,000 delegates to Queen’s University and to a variety of venues across the city for four full days.
Belfast won the bid to host the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) annual conference in 2019 and it joins a stellar line-up of international cities who welcomed the group in recent years including Lisbon, Helsinki, Istanbul, Barcelona, Bern, and Budapest – the torch will be passed to Rome in 2024.
A major economic and educational coup for the city, the four-day, four-night event will generate around £3.4 million in a significant boost for the local economy, benefiting tourism, hospitality and transport sector and supporting thousands of jobs.
Queen’s University Belfast provides the main conference venue after a series of pre-conference excursions north and south of the border and a ‘Festival of Archaeology’ to celebrate the event organised by Queen’s University Belfast in collaboration with the Department of Communities’ Historic Environment Division and the Ulster Museum which invites the wider public to get involved.
A special opening ceremony and welcome reception will happen at ICC Belfast on Wednesday 30 August. Another major event – the annual party – takes place in Lavery’s in the city on Thursday 31 August. The conference runs until Saturday 2 September, concluding with the association’s annual dinner at Titanic Belfast after a closing reception at Ulster Museum. The conference organisation has been supported by Conference Partners International.
The EAA was founded after the fall of the Berlin Wall with the goal to dismantle a similar wall that divided Western and Eastern archaeological strands, isolated research and heritage management.
Based in Prague, the EAA represents members from nearly 70 countries of all continents, making it the second largest and one of the most important archaeological associations in the world. Addressing a wide range of cross-cutting themes involving response to the climate change endangering heritage, resilience or sustainability, the annual EAA conference is the organisation’s main annual event.
Through its Northern Ireland Ambassador Programme, Visit Belfast worked with Eileen Murphy, Professor of Archaeology, School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University Belfast, to successfully bid for the conference which received funding from Belfast City Council and Tourism Northern Ireland through its Belfast and Northern Ireland conference subvention scheme.
Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of Visit Belfast, the destination marketing management organisation (DMMO) for the Belfast City Region, said:
“Belfast’s tourism recovery continues apace and the arrival of the European Association of Archaeologists conference to the city underlines the city’s award-winning ability to attract high calibre, internationally renowned organisations that delivers not only positive economic impacts but an unrivalled platform for local and global delegates to exchange expertise, drive innovation and champion best practice. I congratulate everyone involved in helping to secure the opportunity to host this prestigious event.”
Last year, Belfast was named Best Conference Destination for 2022 at the Conference & Incentive Travel (C&IT) Awards in London for the second year in a row in a reward for the city that continues to surpass the expectations of conference and event organisers for thousands of delegates every year. Visit Belfast is also shortlisted again this year.
Welcoming the imminent start of the EEA conference in Belfast, Professor Eileen Murphy from Queen’s University Belfast, said:
“With an increasing focus on archaeology and heritage and how we can learn from the past to help us both now and in our preparations for the future, I’m delighted that Belfast’s position as a leading, international academic centre of excellence in this field is at the centre of Europe’s largest annual gathering of almost 3,000 specialists in archaeology. Delegates can look forward to a busy academic programme and exceptional debate as well as enjoying the city’s wide range of unbeatable venues, attractions and warm, welcoming hospitality.
“As a university firmly within this year’s Top 100 of the world’s most authoritative rankings for archaeology and palaeoecology, as ranked by global higher education analyst QS, this year’s EAA conference is a major coup for Queen’s University Belfast, for the city, and for Northern Ireland.”
Major conference, association and business events play a pivotal role in developing and sustaining Belfast and Northern Ireland’s tourism economy by providing mid-week and year-round business that benefits event venues, hotels, restaurants, transport providers and attractions and this latest high-profile conference will support in driving Belfast’s appeal internationally, allowing the city to compete at a global level.
Tourism NI, Invest NI and Belfast City Council are key supporters and funders of business tourism into the city.
President of the EEA, Professor Eszter Bánffy, said:
“Despite any changes in political systems, EAA is based on an inclusive solidarity of common values that do not change with political decisions. This offers a firm background for bringing our Annual Meeting to Belfast, a modern city with a rich past. The conference is yet another signal to hour our UK and Irish membership that has been an invaluably strong and entangled part of our association over the past three decades. We gratefully thank our hosts for giving us the chance to honour their entanglement in the community, across Europe and the globe.”
Professor Felipe Criado-Boado, EAA president (2015-2021), who oversaw Belfast’s winning bid for the conference in 2019, said:
“EAA is a civilian organization that brings together the many faces of archaeology in Eastern and Western Europe. EAA transcends any modern political formation. EAA has grown rapidly over the last 30 years from annual meetings and publications towards becoming a powerful body to support sustainability in heritage, equality in education and democracy in research, in Europe and beyond, with a vision for the future that always stems in understanding the past.”
Earlier this year, Visit Belfast revealed its plans are on track to deliver around £120 million to the local economy this year through its sales, marketing and visitor servicing activity, marking a fresh growth milestone in the organisation’s almost 25-year history.
Last year, Visit Belfast’s combined marketing, visitor servicing and business development activities delivered an above-target £111 million for the local economy, which included welcoming 60 new conferences, 131 cruise ships with 250,000 visitors and handling 578,000 visitor enquiries. This year the city is set to welcome around 80 major conferences and a record 170 ships will have visited by the end of October carrying 362,000 passengers and crew.
Northern Ireland’s High Street Hero award winners are confirmed
Ballymoney tops the poll as High Street of the Year after tight race with Belfast’s Shankill Road and Newtownards
A record 12,000 online votes cast to determine Northern Ireland’s retail elite
Ballymoney has taken a top award at this year’s High Street Hero awards, confirming its gold status as High Street of the Year 2023 in a major Northern Ireland online poll.
The hugely successful High Street Hero NI awards is a joint initiative powered by Retail NI and supported by Camelot, Roam, Strategic Power Connect and Belfast Live.
Part of the Causeway Coast and Glens district, in an area best known for its nearby international tourist attraction The Dark Hedges, the thriving Country Antrim town came out on top after taking the lead against runner up and silver winner, Belfast’s Shankill Road, and Newtownards – last year’s joint winner, and the bronze holder for 2023.
Famous for its annual Spring Fair and thriving with a wide range of independent shops, family-run businesses, boutiques cafés and restaurants – and a finalist two years in a row – Ballymoney enjoys a great community spirt in a thriving town centre packed with traditional charm.
Retail NI, which represents the independent retail and wholesale sector in Northern Ireland, first launched the High Street Heroes NI awards in 2020 to recognise and reward local retailers and their impact on local communities – and this year’s event was its most successful yet, with more than 12,000 online votes cast.
“What this year’s High Street Hero awards has shown is that people care passionately about where they live, shop and socialise and they wholeheartedly recognise the importance the role in which independent retailers play in ensuring their town and cities are great places to be around and where communities and the local economy can thrive,” Glyn Roberts, Retail NI’s chief executive said.
The award for overall retail winner this year went to Bradley’s Centra in Maghera in County Londonderry which scooped the gold award ahead of fashion boutique Couples in Coleraine which took silver, with Ballymoney fashion retailer The Winsome Lady taking bronze for 2023.
“Our High Streets are at very heart of every community, bring people together and can be lively, dynamic and social places that build belonging and trust to a community. I’m delighted for the winners this year after a tough competition and grateful to the thousands of people from across Northern Ireland who took part to determine this year’s successful line-up,” Glyn added.
From Londonderry to Lisnaskea and Belfast to Ballymoney, a total of 33 finalists were represented across 13 categories this year, which included first-time winner of Northern Ireland’s ‘Green Retailer’ of the year which was won by NISA Fresh Food Centre in Castlewellan.
Bradley’s Centra in Maghera was one of the biggest winners of the night, taking home three separate awards for Best Convenience Store, Best Deli/Bakery and Best Forecourt – in addition to Overall Retail Winner.
Last year, in a poll of over 10,000 votes, Newtownards and Coleraine were named joint winners of the prestigious High Street of the Year award, trumping Ballymoney’s attempts to take the top prize.
Presenting the High Street of the Year award to Ballymoney Chamber of Commerce, Shadow UK Minister for Levelling Up, Alex Norris, said:
“Representing the dynamism, excitement and positivity of our towns, cities and communities, the High Street Hero awards are an important showcase of excellence which help to shine a spotlight on success, and I’m delighted that Ballymoney has risen to the challenge to take this year’s top award.
“Despite many challenges, those who entered, who were shortlisted and who took home an award, should be proud of their commitment and dedication to serving their customers and communities. Their hard work will never go unnoticed, and I’m delighted the people of Northern Ireland have voted in such amazing numbers to choose their favourites. Well done to everyone involved.”
The High Street Heroes NI Award Winners for 2023 are as follows:
Best Butcher
The Butchers, Monkstown - Gold
Greens of Lisburn - Silver
David Mawhinney & Sons, Bangor - Bronze
Best Coffee Shop
Chat & Chill Café, Lisburn - Gold
Maxemoo, Millisle - Silver
Sugarcane Café Bistro, Comber – Bronze
Best Convenience Store
Bradley’s Centra, Maghera - Gold
Doherty’s Vivo, Londonderry - Silver
Eurospar, Lisnaskea - Bronze
Best Deli/Bakery
Bradley’s Centra, Maghera - Gold
Brownie on the Hill, Dundonald - Silver
The Butcher, Monkstown - Bronze
Best Fashion Retailer
Couples, Coleraine – Gold
The Winsome Lady, Ballymoney – Silver
CItyMan Menswear, Londonderry - Bronze
Best Forecourt
Bradley’s Centra, Maghera - Gold
Spar, Glenarm Road, Larne - Silver
Eurospar Lisnaskea – Bronze
Best Generalist Retailer
NCG, Newtownards - Gold
Finishing Touches Too, Limavady - Silver
Brew & Yaki, Newtownards – Bronze
Best Green Retailer
NISA Fresh Food Centre, Castlewellan - Gold
McRobbie’s Retail, Newtownards - Silver
77 Retail, Belfast – Bronze
Best Healthcare Retailer
Harkin’s Pharmacy, Maghera - Gold
Brogans Eyes & Ears, Lisburn - Silver
Real Health, Coleraine - Bronze
Best Homeware Retailer
W&J Walker, Ballymoney - Gold
Wardens, Newtownards - Silver
Amour Flooring, Bangor - Bronze
Best Off License
Bradley’s Centra, Maghera - Gold
McBrides on the Square, Comber - Silver
Eurospar, Lisnaskea - Bronze
High Street of the Year
Ballymoney - Gold
Shankill Road, Belfast - Silver
Newtownards - Bronze
Overall Independent Retailer of the Year
Bradley’s Centra, Maghera - Gold
Couples, Coleraine - Silver
The Winsome Lady, Ballymoney – Bronze
For further information, visit https://retailni.com/High-Street-Heroes/High-Street-Heroes-2023-Winners
Holmes Bakery rolls out new supply deal with Lidl Northern Ireland
Lidl Northern Ireland bakes in a new growth partnership with Portadown firm for new jobs and investment
An award-winning bakery in Portadown is the latest food supplier in Northern Ireland to secure a major contract with the region’s fastest-growing supermarket retailer, Lidl Northern Ireland.
Holmes Bakery, which has been producing handcrafted sweet and savoury treats since 1937, will expand its 20-strong workforce by a further three employees as part of the £200,000 deal which will add fifteens, caramel fingers and sweet mince slices to more than 40 Lidl stores across the region.
The family-run company, which was acquired by Woodwin Catering in 2009, won an initial supplier contract last year following its involvement in the retailer’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme in 2021. Holmes Bakery make a range of premium handcrafted bakery goods using traditional methods.
Its partnership with Lidl Northern Ireland is a significant milestone for the distinctive Holmes Bakery brand that has won several awards for its products which it makes from a state-of-the-art production facility in Craigavon.
Lidl Northern Ireland has said its latest sweet deal with Holmes Bakery was part of its commitment to supporting innovative local suppliers and expand its range of locally sourced food and ingredients for shoppers across the region. Last year, Lidl Northern Ireland sourced nearly £350 million worth of goods from suppliers in Northern Ireland.
Welcoming the new contract, Lidl Northern Ireland buyer, Zoe Russell, said:
“Local suppliers are the bedrock of our success and we’re excited to be further investing in and championing another home-grown company which continues to prove itself as one of the region’s most ambitious and innovative companies.
“Our new supply contract with Holmes Bakery underlines the growing popularity of its products with our customers and expands the range available to shoppers while also helping to create new local jobs – it’s a sweet treat for everyone.”
Lidl Northern Ireland’s brand proposition – Big on Quality, Lidl on Price – continues to resonate with local shoppers. According to Kantar, the region’s fastest-growing supermarket retailer now has a 9.2 per cent slice of the market after reporting the strongest growth among all retailers – up 27 per cent year-on-year.
Holmes Bakery Account Manager, Gillian Castles, said:
“Our newest supply deal represents a significant milestone for our team and is a testament to our own focus on providing quality products and ingredients that consumers want to buy. We are delighted that Lidl Northern Ireland is continuing to invest in Holmes Bakery as it enables us to invest further in building our team and in growing our award-wining range of products.”
Last year, Lidl Northern Ireland ploughed a record £347 million into the agri-food industry in the financial year ending February 2022 and supported 60 local producers to success.
Almost £300m worth of goods procured locally were exported globally through Lidl’s expansive store network, reaching new customer bases across Europe from Britain and Ireland as far as Romania, Greece, Cyprus and even to the USA. Lidl Northern Ireland employs more than 1,200 people across its 41-strong store network and regional distribution centre in Nutts Corner.
Other local companies supported this year by Lidl Northern Ireland include Enniskillen-based artisan condiment supplier Erne Larder and apple producers Natural Umber, based in Dungannon.
Charles Hurst puts CUPRA and SEAT on show with £2m dealership and 26 new jobs
Lookers’ Charles Hurst Group accelerates local investment plans and vision for all-electric driving
Charles Hurst is charging ahead with a £2 million investment to open a new, landmark dealership that will bring the challenger electric vehicle (EV) CUPRA brand to its Northern Ireland retail estate for the first time.
Launching a new recruitment drive to fill a range of 26 new roles, the region’s largest new and used car retailer – part of Lookers Plc, one of the UK and Ireland’s leading automotive retail and service groups – said the CUPRA and SEAT dealership will open later this year, significantly expanding the choice of electric vehicles on offer to customers across the region.
One of Europe’s fastest-growing EV brands, CUPRA is the premium performance brand of Spanish parent SEAT, both of which are owned by leading car maker Volkswagen.
Confirming the investment, Charles Hurst Group Operations Director Jeff McCartney said:
“Committed to growth and delivering an unrivalled choice for our customers in Northern Ireland, we’re delighted to be expanding our brand portfolio and introducing the groundbreaking CUPRA hybrid and all-electric vehicles to meet fast-growing local demand for cutting-edge, sustainable and innovative driving options.”
Charles Hurst operates across eight sites in Northern Ireland and two in the Republic, representing more than 20 of the world’s top global car manufacturers, including leading premium and luxury brands.
“Since the start of this year, we’ve invested around £8 million across our dealership estate, increasing choice and creating new jobs as part of an ambitious strategy to drive new growth and success, as we look toward an all-electric driving future,” Jeff McCartney said.
Launched in 2018 as a standalone brand, CUPRA sales jumped by almost 90 percent last year, with 14,383 units registered in the UK compared to 7,584 in 2021, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders. It has already sold 200,000 models worldwide and plans to add another three groundbreaking EVs by 2025, complementing its on-the-market CUPRA Born and Formentor models.
Welcoming the announcement, Lookers’ Chief Operating Officer, Duncan McPhee, said:
“Right across the Group and in every region, we are rapidly accelerating our journey towards all-electric driving that accurately matches the needs of our customers who are keen to embrace a more sustainable future by delivering unrivalled choice, information and advice for every step of the way.
“We’re proud that in Northern Ireland, Charles Hurst continues to charge ahead as the market leader in this vitally important area.
“ All cars sold as new will be electric in the UK after 2030 when a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans comes into force by the UK government. However, hybrid cars that can drive a significant distance in zero-emission mode will be exempt from this until 2035.”
Charles Hurst has invested significantly in its retail estate this year and in a range of brands, including around £2.2 million in a new cutting-edge Toyota showroom, around £1 million to refurbish and relaunch two Nissan dealerships in Belfast and Newtownards and £3m in a significant redevelopment of their Parts Centre on Boucher Road.
It is also advancing plans to launch Northern Ireland’s only Lotus dealership after striking an agreement with the premium sports car maker last year. Lotus is added to an existing collection of premium brand partners of the Charles Hurst business which already includes Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley and Aston Martin.