roman.beguns

16.12.2021

Charles Hurst, part of Lookers Motor Group, marks 110^th anniversary with new sustainability drive

Northern Ireland’s largest car retailer celebrates 110 years of investment, growth and success and pledges to deliver a carbon neutral estate

Northern Ireland’s largest car retailer and aftersales service group Charles Hurst – part of UK and Ireland motoring group Lookers Plc – is marking 110 years in business with a pledge to make its entire estate carbon neutral and be the region’s first choice for electric vehicles.

Founded in Belfast in 1911 at the cusp of a global driving revolution, Charles Hurst has become a motoring powerhouse through investment, growth and continuous innovation. With more than 900 staff across the island of Ireland, it is its headquarters on Belfast’s Boucher Road is the largest automotive retail park in Europe.

Marking its anniversary business milestone, Charles Hurst said it planned to invest further in a range of initiatives to achieve net zero carbon emission status, including the rollout of an extensive electric vehicle charging network powered by renewable energy.

It also plans to extend its programme of reducing internal energy use and dramatically raising recycling rates as part of an annual target commitment that will make all its sites greener and sustainable.

13.12.2021

Shoppers sweep up in Lidl Northern Ireland’s Trolley Dash to bag Christmas dinner for free

Lidl Northern Ireland’s flagship charity fundraising event Trolley Dash raises over £93,000 for NSPCC Northern Ireland

Shoppers across the region were swept up in festive fever with the return of Lidl Northern Ireland’s Trolley Dash on Saturday 11^th December which saw lucky customers run their very own supermarket sweep and bag their Christmas shopping for free – all whilst raising vital funds for charity partner NSPCC Northern Ireland.

41 winning shoppers (one for every Lidl Northern Ireland store) won their spot to dash around their local Lidl store, racing against the clock to bag as much of their Christmas food shop for free as they could in just two minutes.

From Dungannon to Downpatrick, Newry to Newtownabbey and Belfast to Ballymoney, customers raced to fill their trolleys with festive treats to feast on over Christmas, with the average winner taking home a trolley full of treats worth £250!

Now in its seventh year, the Trolley Dash initiative raised over £93,000 for charity partner NSPCC Northern Ireland which will help fund the delivery of services for children in need right across the region.

08.12.2021

LK Communications reappointed to Visit Belfast’s agency roster for third consecutive time

Visit Belfast enlists LK Communications to help drive tourism recovery and growth

 Visit Belfast has reappointed LK Communications to help support its mission to rebuild the city’s tourism economy and recovery plans through to 2024.

LK Communications, Northern Ireland’s leading PR and communications strategists, was first appointed to Visit Belfast in 2011 to help drive growth across leisure, business and cruise tourism sectors and secure its place as a top global city destination.

As the global tourism industry recovers from the impact of Covid-19, the destination marketing organisation for the Belfast City Region has set out a new direction of travel and a step change in its marketing, sales and visitor servicing operations by putting sustainability, inclusive growth and the citizens of Belfast at the heart of its plans and operations.

Following years of investment – including hotels, conference facilities and world class attractions – Visit Belfast believes the city region is well placed to recover and has set ambitious targets in its recovery strategy, including a £344 million return to the economy by 2024.

LK Communications was also appointed by Visit Belfast to provide a comprehensive daily media monitoring services as part of a separate tender process.

A full-service and multi award-winning communications agency, LK Communications delivers creative data and insight-led strategic campaigns that drives brands. Powered by a strong and experienced team, the company is one of the UK and Ireland’s most successful agencies.

With a strong roster of public and private sector clients, LK Communications is a trusted partner for Lidl Northern Ireland, Lookers Plc, Charles Hurst Group, Galgorm Collection, Aflac NI, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Gas Networks Ireland, Eir, Trinseo and Wirefox among others.

07.12.2021

Lidl Northern Ireland gets green light for three new stores

Lidl Northern Ireland to build three new concept stores at Carryduff, Castlereagh Road and Shore Road in an £18 million investment

Lidl Northern Ireland, the region’s fastest-growing supermarket, has been awarded permission to build three new state-of-the-art stores in a £18 million investment which will see the retailer bring its high quality, low price offering to more shoppers in Greater Belfast and the wider area.

The retailer was granted planning approval by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council to transform Carryduff Shopping Centre as part of an overall £10 million investment that will create a new £6.5 million state-of-the-art anchor store.

A new 2,206 sq. metre Lidl Northern Ireland store will form part of the centre’s wider regeneration which will also include four new retail units, a café, a Drive-Thru unit and more than 200 parking spaces. More than 35 new jobs will be created at the new store and a further 200 created during the construction phase. The additional retail space developed could also support an extra 100 jobs.

Northern Ireland’s fastest-growing supermarket said the investment drive was part of a long-term plan to grow Lidl’s store network to 50 stores across the region and follows its announcement last year to commit £32 million in developing five new stores in the Greater Belfast region.

26.11.2021

Lookers appoints Danny Bishop to new people-focused leadership role

 Danny Bishop joins as Head of Learning and Development in newly-created position

Leading UK motor retail and aftersales service group Lookers PLC has appointed Danny Bishop as Head of Learning and Development, a new senior role focused on shaping the professional development and careers of all its staff.

An accomplished leader in learning, development and internal transformation, Danny will lead the company’s focus on people development and learning and in the creation of a new professional development academy to further promote and nurture talent, skills and capability at all levels.

Reporting to Chief People Officer Chris Whitaker, Danny’s role will assist in ensuring all employees have a clear development pathway to support personal and corporate growth, creating new opportunities.

Manchester-born Danny is an accomplished leader in learning and development practice, with over two decades of experience in senior corporate roles, including Bupa and Cooperative Banking Group in the UK.

One the UK and Ireland’s largest and most successful automotive groups, specialising in the sale of new and used cars, vans and aftersales, Lookers operates more than 150 franchised dealers representing 32 manufacturers in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

26.11.2021

New Ambassador Circle launched to promote Northern Ireland as a leading international business and events destination

A new initiative, the Ambassador Circle, was launched today to target and significantly grow the number of international business events hosted in Northern Ireland and promote Northern Ireland as a leading business and events destination.

The Ambassador Circle will bring together business and academic leaders in advanced manufacturing, technology, life and health sciences, food and drink and financial, professional & business services to help identify, target and attract key business events and conferences to the region.

It is a joint initiative between Invest Northern Ireland, Visit Belfast, Tourism NI and Visit Derry.

Speaking about the Ambassador Circle, Economy Minister Gordon Lyons, said:

“My department’s 10X Economy Vision and the Tourism Recovery Action Plan set out bold ambitions for the economic recovery and future growth of Northern Ireland. International meetings and events play an important part in this.

 “Business events and conferences generate mid-week, year-round demand to our venues, hotels and hospitality sector. They also have the unique ability and power to showcase the amazing, world-leading skills, knowledge and innovation that exist in Northern Ireland, putting the region on the map as an exciting place to visit, do business and invest in.

 “I therefore welcome the efforts of Invest NI, Visit Belfast, Tourism NI and Visit Derry in establishing The Ambassador Circle to harness the support of the local leaders across business, research and academia to attract more business and conferences to Northern Ireland.”

25.11.2021

Armagh City’s iconic Georgian Weekend celebrates its rich history and heritage from Thursday 25 November

One of Northern Ireland’s biggest heritage celebrations takes place this weekend when Armagh’s Georgian Weekend returns with a big line-up of outstanding food, drink and plenty of entertainment and activity to mark the official start of the Christmas countdown.

In the long list of favoured places to be UK City of Culture for 2025, Armagh City is an increasingly popular destination for local, national, and international visitors who are attracted by its deep history, rich heritage and outstanding food and drink. This weekend will showcase the very best of what this historic city has to offer.

First launched in 2004 and officially one of Northern Ireland’s most authentic and inspiring events, the award-winning annual Georgian programme of tours, vibrant markets, exciting street theatre, great food and fun has also become one of the UK and Ireland’s most popular.

Marking 17 years since it was founded, this year’s Armagh’s Georgian Weekend makes the very most of Cathedral City’s expansive tree-lined historic Georgian Mall and city streets, where captivating day-and-night guided tours will take visitors on a spellbinding journey back to the 1770s and early 1800s.

Supported by Tourism Northern Ireland, this year’s Georgian Weekend runs from Thursday 25 November until Sunday 28 November, with events taking place throughout the day and in the evenings.

25.11.2021

Lidl Northern Ireland posts strong full year results amid exponential growth

Northern Ireland’s’ fastest-growing retailer upbeat for the year ahead after posting strong full year results

Lidl Northern Ireland today posted strong full year results for the 2020/2021 trading year, demonstrating exponential business growth during a period of unprecedented challenges.

The retailer, who was recently named Retail Company of the Year at the Business Eye Awards filed financial results for the period March 2020 – February 2021 recorded turnover of more than £345 million – up almost a quarter on the previous year.

Consistently confirmed by Kantar Worldpanel as the region’s fastest-growing retailer, Lidl Northern Ireland credits its growing market share to investing in its local store and supplier network and maintaining a robust supply chain to bring its Big on Quality, Lidl on Price proposition to even more shoppers across the region.

Last year, Lidl Northern Ireland confirmed a £32 million investment for the Greater Belfast area in opening three new stores at Crumlin Road, Boucher Road and Holywood Exchange as well as revitalising its premises at Castlereagh Road and Shore Road. The retailer also announced a further £26 million investment into the North West region including opening a brand-new state-of-the-art store in Buncrana Road in Derry~Londonderry, progressing with plans for an additional nearby store in Crescent Link and Strabane.

Buoyed by a long-established strategy to build a strong local supply chain, Lidl Northern Ireland continues to develop its growing network of more than 50 local suppliers from which it sources almost £300 million worth of goods each year.

Lidl Northern Ireland has also significantly invested in its people over the last 12 months, growing staff numbers to more than 1,000 employees for the first time and implementing a range of industry-leading initiatives and benefits packages for staff including paying three separate Covid bonus payments to all staff in an investment worth more than £300,000. Earlier this year, Lidl Northern Ireland was named a Top Employer for 2021 by the Top Employers Federation.

The announcement comes on the back of the retailer being the first supermarket in the region to confirm it is exceeding the Real Living Wage recommendation, committing to a new entry hourly rate of £10.10, twenty pence higher than the recommended £9.90 rate announced last week by the Living Wage Foundation.

For more information visit www.lidl-ni.co.uk