March 2025


Inclusivity in Belfast Celebrated at Inaugural Inclusive Tourism Awards


SIX Belfast venues and visitor experiences have been recognised for their


work to support


disabled visitors at the city’s inaugural Inclusive Tourism Awards. The awards


sector


announced as the city’s tourism


were came


together at Titanic Belfast to highlight the benefits of catering to the ‘purple pound’ – a market which is worth an estimated £249 billion each year to the UK economy.


The Embrace the Inclusive Spirit seminar,


organised


by Belfast City Council, together with Visit Belfast, Tourism Northern Ireland and Titanic Belfast, is part of ongoing work to support the city’s tourism sector and explore new markets. Following


a public


vote from November to January, the Black Box was recognised for Going the


Extra Mile, Titanic Belfast was named as providing the Most Useful


Visitor


Information and 2 Royal Avenue picked up the prize for Warmest Welcome. The Best Stay award went to the Balmoral Hotel, while Belfast International Arts Festival was named as the Most Inclusive Experience. The Grand Opera House received the panel’s Award for Outstanding Contribution.


Celebrating their recognition, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray, said: “We want to ensure Belfast is welcoming to everyone who visits us, so it’s great to hear how local venues and experiences are embracing this goal by putting inclusivity and


accessibility at the very heart of their offering. “Well done to all the award winners for doing everything they can to make sure all their visitors enjoy a great experience and feel valued as individuals.” Over 120 operators, hospitality providers, policy makers and event organisers attended the seminar to hear guidance and advice from speakers Anthony Sinclair,


founder of


Source, accessibility blogger Carrie-Ann Lightley,


Sign and


Jamie Shields, Co-Founder of Disabled by Society, on how to welcome visitors with a disability. Guests also enjoyed a performance from the Open Arts NI community choir. The Embrace the Inclusive


Spirit programme is part of the council’s Make Yourself at Home ten-year tourism plan,


which recognises


the sector’s role as a key economic driver for the city and wider region.


It provides resources and training for tourism and hospitality businesses to help with improving inclusivity.


www.nitravelnews.com


THE LOCAL TOURIST | 45


These Remarkable Photographs Win Accolades in this Year’s Belfast Parks Photographic Competition


Victoria Park,


Ormeau


Park, Botanic Gardens and Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park.


These include


a practical support toolkit, online training videos, access to masterclasses where businesses can chat


to service users


and test drive ideas, and suggested itineraries for disabled visitors, based on recommendations from local residents with disabilities.


STUNNING photos of city parks have scooped prizes in a photographic competition, run by Bel- fast City Council.


The images were taken of a number of locations, among these, Cave Hill Country Park, Falls Park,


Sponsored by McQuillan Companies, there were four categories of the competi- tion for ‘Park Landscapes’, ‘Seasons in our Parks, ‘Peo- ple in our Parks’ and an ‘Under 16s’ category. The three winners of each category were presented with awards at a special event in Malone House this week.


They were: Park Landscapes


1st Richard Elley (capture of Falls Park) 2nd Ciara Dreelan (capture of Cave Hill Country Park) 3rd Stephen Gibson (cap- ture of Victoria Park)


Seasons in our Parks


1st Stephen Martin (cap- ture of Ormeau Park) 2nd William Corr (capture of Cave Hill Country Park) 3rd Claire Mitchell (capture of Cherryvale Park)


Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week Shines A Spotlight on Vibrant Food Scene of Mid-Ulster


GET ready to embark on a foodie journey at the first Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week 10 th – 16th March. This week- long celebration, from Mid Ulster District Council will shine a spotlight on the people and places behind the vibrant food and hospitality scene of Mid Ulster, featuring a range of restaurants, each showcasing dishes made with the finest


Dungannon Bar to Undergo Major Facelift


WORK is well under way on a major refurbishment of one of Dungannon’s most popular bars. Hagan’s Bar in Irish Street was purchased last September for an undisclosed sum by Magherafelt-based 1 Oak Leisure Ireland. The bar shut its doors on January 11 to


start work on ‘an exciting new chapter’ and is now undergoing a massive refit with sights set on a mid-March reopening. While the new owners are keeping plans close to their chest, 1 Oak Leisure Ireland director Nicky Wright has revealed that, after five decades as Hagan’s, the name of the bar will change to The Blackthorn Tavern. “We’re investing significantly to breathe fresh life into this much-loved venue,” said Nicky. “The plans look amazing, work is now well under way and I’m sure our regular customers will be delighted when we re-open as The Blackthorn Tavern in March.” “We don’t want to give too much away at this stage but I can reveal that we’ll be giving the venue a full traditional bar re-


fit and creating a new beer garden outside. We’ll be open seven days a week, offering great food, live music and, of course, lots of craic. “We are very proud of our venue’s


past and we embrace that, but now we’re looking forward to continuing its proud legacy in the future,” she added. “Our loyal customers can expect to


see the same smiling faces that they’ve been familiar with for years, only in fantastic new surroundings that we hope will continue to bring people together and pave the way for a new generation of memories for Dungannon,” concluded Nicky.


Headquartered just outside Magherafelt,


1 Oak Leisure Ireland opened its first entertainment venue, TIME Bar & Venue, in Cookstown in 2012 and now operates a total of eight venues in Northern Ireland, including The 40 Thieves, Fox & Fiddle, Cherry Tree, Long Mile and Clubland in Cookstown, The Harp and Fiddle in Strabane, and The Black Sheep in The Loup.


People in our Parks


1st David Mills (capture of Botanic Gardens)


2nd Peter Soult (capture of Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park)


3rd Hugh Campbell (cap- ture of Botanic Gardens)


Under 16s


1st Zoia Wilkowska (cap- ture of Lagan Meadows) 2nd Micah Hill (capture of Cave Hill Country Park) 3rd Jack Kirkpatrick (cap- ture of Victoria Park) Among the winners was 9-year-old, Zoia Wilkows- ka, who won first prize in the Under 16s section for her stunning capture


of


Lagan Meadows and was accompanied to the awards ceremony by her Dad. While budding photogra-


pher, 11-year-old Jack Kirk- patrick, who was accom- panied by his Mum, loves photography and captured his winning entry of Vic- toria Park after getting a camera for Christmas.


locally sourced ingredients. Whether you’re a resident or a visitor,


Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week offers an exceptional opportunity to discover the diverse and delicious dishes and places that make Mid Ulster a must-visit place to dine out. From exciting, curated tasting menu evenings,


hearty comfort food, unique


food pairings, cooking demonstrations and masterclasses – the week will provide unique culinary experiences to satisfy every palate and budget.


For more information on the Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week visit www.visitmidulster.com


Aircoach Takes the Driving Seat as Official Partner of Grand Opera House Youth Productions


BELFAST’S Grand Opera House have announced Aircoach as the new sponsor of its Summer and Autumn Youth Productions.


The two-year partnership will see Aircoach support the Theatre’s Youth Productions which are renowned for nurturing the next generation of theatrical talent in Northern Ireland.


The Grand Opera House’s Summer Youth Productions have been long running traditions offering young people from all backgrounds across Northern Ireland the chance to take part in a large scale musical on the Theatre’s iconic stage and for others the opportunity to develop invaluable backstage skills as part of the Youth Tech Crew. Now in its 13th year, the Summer Youth Production continues to inspire the next generation, and this year’s production of Grease will carry on that legacy with the welcomed support of Aircoach. With over 25 years of servicing the island of Ireland, local transport company Aircoach


is committed to delivering exceptional service and connecting various communities with an impressive network with 34 daily services between Belfast and Dublin Airport and Dublin city.


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