BELFAST INSIDER
Hello Belfast👋
January just went into the record books as one of the wettest in Northern Ireland in 149 years. Only January 1877 was wetter.
Your socks know it. Your heating bill knows it. Your fleece has been working overtime.
While you were drying out, lots of positive things were happening across Northern Ireland that didn't make the doom-filled headlines.
Here’s what you need to know →
THE DIGEST: Belfast in Brief
🥔Tayto Turns 70
Founded in 1956 at Tandragee Castle in County Armagh, Tayto started with just six people and one simple goal: make good crisps. Seventy years later, it's still family-owned, employs over 350 people, and produces more than one million packs of crisps and snacks every single day. Not bad for something that began in a castle kitchen.
To mark the milestone, Tayto announced it is releasing special 20-pack boxes of its most iconic flavours, a quiet nod to the generations who grew up with a bag in their lunchbox.
We love a generational business. Here's to many more bags yet to be opened.
What's your go-to Tayto flavour? And what childhood memory does it unlock?
💼Business closures fall to lowest level since 2020
Here's a quietly positive signal for the local economy: more businesses opened than closed in Northern Ireland in 2024.
New figures from NISRA show 6,240 new firms were created in 2024, up by16.2 percent when compared to 2023 and the strongest growth of any UK region in that period. Business closures fell to 4,790, down 3.6 percent and the lowest level recorded here since 2020.
Locally, business births rose in seven of 11 council areas. Derry City and Strabane led the way with 15.1 percent growth in that period, followed by Belfast at 12.1 percent. Closure rates fell in eight council areas.
By sector, construction saw the highest number of new businesses, while retail recorded the biggest year-on-year increase in openings. Retail and production did see higher-than-usual closures, showing pressure remains in some areas.
Still, with more firms starting than shutting and closures at a four-year low, it's a welcome bit of good news for Northern Ireland's business landscape. Know someone who started a business in that period? Send them a virtual high-five.
Source: Irish News
🐾Amputee kitten Taco finds his forever home
Here's one to restore your faith in people: a six-week-old kitten found injured at the side of a road in East Belfast has found his forever home. Taco (now renamed Quark) was handed into a local vet with serious injuries to his front right leg.
The damage was so severe that vets had to amputate, but despite everything he'd been through, the wee kitten stayed friendly, happy, and loving.
After two months of care at Cats Protection Northern Ireland, Quark found his forever home with Rosa just before Christmas. He's now settled in with his new cat sibling Kryten, and according to Rosa, they're already firm friends. Belfast Live reports the cost of Quark's care exceeded £1,000.
Cats Protection has launched a JustGiving appeal to support more cats and kittens like him across Northern Ireland.
Sometimes the good stories are the smallest ones.
Want to help? Support Cats Protection's appeal.
🏪 LOCAL BUSINESS SCOOP
Openings, Closures & Buzz Around Town
🏢Council doubles town centre funding after strong business response
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has doubled funding for its Town Centre Revamp Refresh scheme after nearly 100 businesses applied—far more than expected. The scheme offers grants of up to £1,000 for practical upgrades like fresh paint, shelving, display stands, uniforms, and basic marketing.
With 47 applications from Ballymena, 28 from Carrickfergus, and 22 from Larne, the council expanded the original £40,000 budget to meet demand.
Small grants, real impact for local high streets dealing with rising costs and online competition.
Know a town centre business that could use this? Forward this on.
Source: Love Ballymena
🍻Linenhall Bar set to open on Bedford Street
All ye Belfast pub crawlers, there's a new stop coming to your route. The Clover Group which is the team behind White's, The Jailhouse, and The Bone Yard is opening a new bar this February.
The Linenhall Bar will take over the former home of Pub Ugly's at 21 Bedford Street. The company announced on social media stirring plenty of excitement online, with followers keen to see what the new spot brings to the city centre. Sounds like a future favourite pint spot with the mates is loading.
Your Weekend Lineup
🎟️ WHAT’S HAPPENING:
Your guide to what’s on across Belfast & Northern Ireland
Time to plan your week! From gigs and art exhibitions to workshops and sports, here’s what’s happening across Belfast and beyond. Something for everyone to get out and enjoy because we could all use a bit of fun after all.
Thursday, February 5
Friday, February 6
Saturday, February 7
Sunday, February 8
🎭 Tom Davis: Spudgun | The MAC Belfast | 8:00 PM
Monday, February 9
Tuesday, February 10
😂 Empire Laughs Back Comedy Club | The Empire Music Hall | 8:00 PM
Wednesday, February 11
Rain or shine, Belfast is busy.
💛 COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
⚽EMSONI – Building Bridges Through Sport
EMSONI founder & volunteers
In Northern Ireland, sport is doing more than bringing people together, it’s breaking barriers. The Ethnic Minority Sports Organisation Northern Ireland (EMSONI), founded by Abayomi Adekanmi, uses the universal language of sport to champion equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Recognised with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2022, EMSONI tackles health and sports inequalities while promoting cultural diversity and racial harmony. Their work spans from improving physical fitness and mental health to creating safe spaces for everyone to play, regardless of background.
Signature initiatives include the Northern Ireland Confederation Cup, the region’s biggest intercultural football tournament, and youth-led projects like “Deserve to Play” and the Grassroots Sports Café, providing leadership, coaching, and event skills to young people.
By signing the Declaration on Sport and Human Rights, EMSONI ensures refugees, asylum seekers, and newcomers can participate with dignity. Under Abayomi’s leadership, it’s more than sport—it’s building connections, breaking down barriers, and creating a truly inclusive sporting community in Northern Ireland.
Do you know a young person who could get involved or a community group that could benefit? EMSONI is open to everyone.
Want to get involved?
🍽️ RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK
🔥 The Firehouse, Enniskillen
Ever loved a place so much you went back the very next day?
This week’s foodie find takes us outside Belfast to Enniskillen, the island town in the heart of Fermanagh.
Tucked down a sloped, winding road near the town centre, Firehouse hits you with warm, bustling energy the moment you walk in.
While staying at Lough Erne Resort, we wandered into town to see what the food scene had to offer. One step inside Firehouse and it was clear we’d made the right choice.
We didn’t hold back. Signature wings, apple-glazed pork belly, and a rump steak that hit the spot. Special shoutout to the king prawn pasta too. We had it the day before and it was good enough to deserve another mention.
And the mocktails. The piña colada was so refreshing we ordered it both days.
This is the only spot in NI we’ve ever gone back to twice on the same trip. That says it all.
📍 26 Townhall St, Enniskillen BT74 7BA
💰 ££ Mains £15–25 | Cocktails and mocktails around £8
⏰ Mon–Sun, noon–11:00pm
📱 @thefirehouseenniskillen
📞 028 6632 5210
Firehouse, Enniskillen
💬 YOUR VOICE
Quick gut check. Which story brightened your day most?
🥔 Tayto | 📈 Business growth | 🐱 Taco | 🏪 Town funding | 🍽️ Firehouse
Reply with the emoji or story name.
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See you next time!
The Belfast Insider team!