This really disgusts me. It seems not everyone shares the Northern Irish Magyar's respect for those who died to win the freedom we enjoy today. Retail chain TK Maxx banned staff in Northern Ireland from wearing poppies this year alleging they were a "political symbol". The ban doesn't apply to the mainland.

Apparently something similar happened to someone working for B&Q at the predominantly nationalist Apollo call centre on Boucher Road. The gentleman was allegedly asked to remove his poppy, but refused. I had no problems with my poppy, but then again mine was on my coat which I didn't wear whilst in work, rather keeping it beside me. Only on the Sunday did I actually wear the poppy throughout the working day. One thing's for sure though, had I been asked to remove it I'd have replied "On what grounds?" - and they better have had a better (truer) reason than "It's a political symbol." (Update: Please see this comment for another view on the call centre).

Read more »

Do supermarkets really offer the good value we all assume they do?

Supermarkets are often blamed for forcing small, independent, locally owned businesses to close. Well that's obviously because the big supermarkets can sell produce more cheaply because of their economies of scale - or is it? Do we ever stop and think that we, the consumers, might actually be better buying from those small businesses? Be honest now...

Read more »

New Group Proposes Maysfield for National Stadium

Last week the Strategic Investment Board claimed that they had no alternative proposal to the Maze to consider at the moment. Despite the government's protests that the Maze is the only viable site for a new major stadium for Northern Ireland, 2 new proposals emerged today from groups who would beg to differ. Both the proposals put forward today are based on developing sites in Belfast, near the city centre.

The first proposal, which has the backing of Belfast's Chamber of Trade and Commerce, contains details of the potential for building a new stadium at the site of Maysfield Leisure Centre, closed and abandoned by the council last year and currently due for demolition. Although the site, which is adjacent to Central Station, is only 6 acres in size, the backers have drawn up plans for a 28,500 seater stadium with car parking facilities. A model of the proposal was completed by Peter Hunter of Arup Sports (a company that worked on the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and Lansdowne Road in Dublin) showing how the site could accommodate a stadium.

The second proposal, backed by Paul Durien of Durien Quantity Surveyors, has enlisted help from a company that worked on Old Trafford and Hampden Park. It proposes that the "City of Belfast Stadium" be developed at Ormeau Park, currently the site of the O-Zone leisure complex. This site is much larger than the Maysfield one, but is thought to have been previously ruled out by the SIB on planning and transport grounds.

Read more »

The Review of Public Administration taking place that will redraw the boundaries of Local Government Districts (LGDs) in Northern Ireland threw up an interesting thread on slugger last week. In it one person in particular argued (and argued - and accused any arguments against him of being purely sectarian) that Belfast's boundaries mustn't be expanded. Why? Apparently because such an expansion would result in more unionists in the city! Gad zooks!

Read more »

There are a lot of reasons why people believe (and why people are told) Northern Irish drivers pay more for their car insurance than their counterparts in the UK. You can't help but notice when you're being quoted over a grand for car insurance (last year my quote was nearly a grand and a half!). The reason most quoted to me when discussing the issue with friends is "sure they all think your car could get blown up" - or something troubles-related anyway.

I always thought this was a myth and it was to do with a claim culture incubated through high payouts from insurance claims here - and the fact that more claims are successful. However a representative from the Motor Accident Solicitors Society said most claims are now settled out of court "because the insurance industry and a lot of the claimants solicitors are able to settle a lot of claims and that means insurance companies are quite happy to pay these awards."

Added to this, a recent Endsleigh survey found 30% fewer cars are stolen in Belfast than the UK average and drivers in Belfast are less likely to have an accident than drivers in any other city in the UK.

Read more »

The Fire Service was attacked again in Londonderry this weekend. A crowd of youths threw stones at the firefighters when they were called out to a burning car in the Shantallows area of the Maiden City.

"... what is annoying about these attacks is that they are premeditated. The youths were waiting for us and they had a lot of missiles ready for us and they unleashed their full attack on us as soon as we arrived."
District commander Willie Lynch

Sickening really, although not really surprising. You can hardly be surprised when he goes on to say "we are always vigilant and looking out the side of our eyes for these attacks."

So there you have it: Londonderry's firefighters go out on callouts expecting to be assaulted by scumbag kids, left free to roam the streets instead of being caged like the animals they are.

The Strategic Investment Board and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure have been pitching the Maze Stadium proposal to football fans this week at meetings around Northern Ireland which included a presentation made by Mr Tony Whitehead of the SIB followed by a Q&A session.

Among the facts seeping out was the revelation that DCAL would not allow the SIB to consider 3 separate venues (although there was no indication that they asked to), for example by upgrading existing facilities. The whole aim of the project was to facilitate integration through a "shared space," signifying clearly that this, primarily, is a political and not a sporting project.

Read more »

The Scottish FA have stated they will not join a Great Britain and Northern Ireland football team for the olympics in 2012, despite assurances from Sepp Blatter that their participation would not undermine Scotland's position as a footballing nation and an independent FIFA member.

Read more »

A number of "loyalists" were arrested in Belfast today as part of a police operation against organised crime. Andre Shoukri and his mother are both believed to have been arrested as a total of 4 men and a woman were nicked as police searched houses in north and east Belfast.

Meanwhile in Londonderry, a 40 year old man today became the 8th person arrested in connection with the Northern Bank robbery last December. Also today, in Co. Down, a second man was arrested over a murder that took place in Co. Armagh 5 years ago. Apparently 4 people were also arrested in Glasgow on suspicion of connection to terrorist activity in Northern Ireland.

Read more »

Martin McAliskey, from Coalisland, today became the 2nd man charged over the Northern Bank robbery. He denied the charge of providing a false statement to the police when he told them he didn't know anything about the sale of a white transit van believed to have been used in the robbery.

As well as the 2 men being charged, 2 others have been released without charge and 2 more are still being questioned. A second man was arrested today in Kilcoo, the same town Dominic McEvoy (the first man charged last Friday) was arrested last week.