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Brian McConville, Chairman of MJM Group has been named as 'Business Personality of the Year' Award at the AIB Business Eye Awards 2019. The group with their headquarters in Newry comprises MJM Marine, Mivan and Topglass.
The awards took place recently in the ICC Belfast in front of a 750-strong business audience.
Brian was chosen by the judging panel for steering the rapid growth of MJM Group, as well as his successful acquisitions of Mivan and Topglass in recent years.
Brian founded MJM Group in 1983 and has built it into an award-winning global group of businesses, employing more than 650 people in NI with access to a global labour pool of 2,000 people around the world.
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The Go For It Programme has helped over 5,500 entrepreneurs from across Northern Ireland launch their very own business plan in the last two years.
This project is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme.
The Go for it programme has mentored would-be entrepreneurs across all 11 Council areas of Northern Ireland by taking them through the process of creating a business plan, covering everything from financial forecasting to marketing and long-term business growth.
Eugene McGuckin, Programme Manager, Northern Ireland Business Start Up Programme said: “The Go For It Programme continues to be a fantastic success across Northern Ireland. Over 5,500 new business plans in two years is a remarkable milestone.
“We’re really proud that so many entrepreneurs have seized the opportunity to establish the business of their dreams with the incredible support and expert advice on offer through the Go For It Programme.
“Through its network of enterprise partners, the Go For It Programme offers budding entrepreneurs expert mentoring on the real challenges facing local start-up businesses.
“It will help candidates create a business plan tailored to their business idea, focusing on important elements such asfinancial forecasting and accounts, sales and marketing, and how they can potentially access funding.
“This tried and tested business plan provides candidates with a blue-print for building a successful and sustainable business model, and it gives them the final push they need to finally launch their business. I would encourage anyone who has an idea for a business to get in touch and seek the support that the Go For It Programme provides.”
Welcoming this important milestone, Alan McKeown, Invest NI’s Executive Director of Regional Business said: “This is an encouraging result for local councils as they work collaboratively to encourage self-starters across Northern Ireland to fulfil their potential. Entrepreneurs and micro-businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy and Go For It is a valuable first step towards thousands of new businesses in Northern Ireland.”
If you have a business idea you’d like to develop or if you are thinking about starting a business call 0800 027 0639 or visit: visit WWW.GOFORITNI.COM
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A new state of the art 3000 square foot store has opened in Jonesborough by Mulkerns SPAR, well-known local retailers and existing owners of Mulkerns EUROSPAR in Newry.
The Jonesborough store is part of a major new development at what was formerly Rice’s and most recently McNamee’s community store.
To mark the opening of the new store, school children from the local Jonesborough Primary School were invited with their class teachers to visit the new store and witness history in the making as the shop opened its doors for its first day of trading. In addition, children from the local playschool, Naiscoil Shliabh gCuilinn came along with their parents to present their collection boxes for the new store tills.
20 jobs have been created by the new business, including management, chefs, floor and till staff. This is an important new development in the village of Jonesborough which is an isolated, rural village largely cut off from the main economic hubs of Newry and Dundalk. Jonesborough Community will benefit greatly from the financial investment and from the new local services.
Terry Mulkerns commented “We are excited to be launching this new store in the village of Jonesborough, we hope it will benefit this village and become a new hub for this community. It’s lovely to welcome some of our local school children here today to witness history in the making”
Mulkerns SPAR Jonesborough will be opened 7 days a week, and will offer a wide range of groceries, fresh produce, delicatessen, hot food, carvery, solid fuels, and in addition the local Post Office will also be getting a fresh look and moving in to the new store. Stay tuned for updates on jobs and offers on Facebook at “Mulkerns SPAR Jonesborough”.
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First Derivatives have opened a new 8,000 square foot office at George’s Quay, in the heart of Dublin.
The office opening is a result of significant growth across the Group in the Dublin market in recent years and marks a major expansion on the island of Ireland. The ultra-modern facility also has expansion capability, ensuring it can assist the Group’s growth plans in the years to come.
The Group has continued to experience significant growth in demand for consultancy services in Dublin, in particular in the areas of risk management, regulatory and compliance, and treasury management.
Within their Kx business, the new office space also allows the Newry based company to increase team sizes, develop more state-of-the-art solutions and continue to deliver first-class service to customers across finance and industry.
Seamus Keating, Executive Chairman said: “We are delighted that the strategic vision of our founder and former CEO, the late Brian Conlon, to grow our presence in the local market is being realised through the recent award of a number of new delivery projects and the addition of a number of new banks to our existing blue-chip client list. The new office space at George’s Quay provides us with a suitably impressive platform for both our staff and clients as we enter the next exciting phase of expansion within the Irish market.”
For further information, please visit WWW.FIRSTDERIVATIVES.COM
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With the Planning Committee of Newry, Mourne and Down Council due once again this week to make a decision on the Carnbane retail park development, local business leaders have again urged councillors to reject the application.
Planners have recommended that the application from Damolly Developments is rejected, and councillors will once again have a decision to make this Wednesday 11 December at the December Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Planning Committe meeting. The Planning Committee defered the decision at their October meeting and withdrew the application from the agenda in the November meeting after receiving correspondence from the DFI.
Newry BID, Newry Chamber of Commerce and Retail NI are again urging the Council to reject the proposed application.
In a statement the three organisations note that the Councils own planning consultants’ figures indicate that the proposed scheme will have the highest retail capacity and impact in Northern Ireland.
"This application, combined with the retail floor space of the food superstore, amounts to an eye-watering total of 22,653 sqm gross retail floor space (243,834.86 sqft) at an out of town location. This does not include the restaurants and café, which would also be deemed to be main town centre uses.
"To place this in context, the current application at Sprucefield Park (Regional Shopping Centre as per RDS 2035 paragraph 3.41) is for 20,702 sqm gross retail floor space. This figure excludes the restaurants and hotel."
Destroy the heart of Newry
Claiming that the proposal would destroy the heart of Newry Eamonn Connolly, Managing Director of Newry BID said “We are objecting to this proposal as its scale would destroy the heart of Newry.
"At a time when town and city centres are under huge pressure it makes no sense for Councillors to approve a massive development that their own professional officials recommend for refusal for good reason. We trust Councillors will listen to the local community and acknowledge that Newry is not big enough for two cities”
Undermine the future of Newry City Centre
Colm Shannon, Chief Executive, Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade spoke of how at present there is real confidence in the future of Newry City Centre and said that approving the development at Carnbane will undermine that.
"The scale of the proposed development will threaten the viability of retail businesses in the city and impact on local communities that benefit from easy access to these businesses.
“Newry is a forward and progressive city with a variety of businesses that have served the needs of the people of Newry for generations. The Council’s own regeneration plans have already stimulated interest in our city centre. Approving the Carnbane proposals will undermine the future vision of a dynamic city centre centre with a vibrant mix of retail, commercial and leisure to meet the needs of both the day time and night time Newry economy of Newry.”
Planners Reasons for Rejecting Application
Citing some of their reasons for recommending rejection of the application planners have said:
Larger than Sprucefield
Claiming it would have a retail impact to Newry City Centre of near 30% Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive, Retail NI said “This out of town retail application is one of the biggest ever and is in fact larger than Sprucefield”
‘It would be a completing city centre, drawing away jobs, retailers, hospitality, shoppers and would cause incalculable damage to Newry City Centre. It would have a retail impact to Newry City Centre of nearly 30% and is completely contrary to the town centre planning policy and the local development plan”
“Should the Council vote in favour of this application then it would make a mockery of the entire planning regime, policy and their own plan for the City Centre. If local Councillors are committed to seeing a vibrant 21st century Newry City Centre then they must oppose this job-threatening application”
“Out of town retail is the past, not the future, of the sector and we urge Councillors to stand with Newry City centre traders”
Councillors are due to make the decision at the Planning Committee meeting this Wednesday at 10am in Newry.
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Global Newry based business STATSports has been awarded the highest level of certification available for its data security processes.
The company’s information security management system has been certified to ISO 27001, the international and auditable standard which rubber stamps its processes and IT system as capable of ensuring sensitive information stays secure.
It comes after a busy 12 months for the sports performance monitoring company after it welcomed investors including Premier League stars Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Raheem Sterling, signed up a plethora of elite teams in locations around the world and saw demand for its consumer product soar.
Sean O’Connor, co-founder and COO of STATSports, said: “From day one, we have always placed data security at the top of our list of priorities and our ISO 27001 certification is proof of that focus. We maintain the strictest standards when it comes to handling client data, whether player statistics or other details, and will make sure we continue to do so in the future.
“Having expanded the business considerably over the last few years, we remain on an upward growth trajectory and are committed to making sure both our elite product and our consumer product – the APEX Athelete Series – are not only world leading when it comes to their technology, but also in data security.”
STATSports’ technology is used by elite teams in soccer, rugby union, rugby league, AFL, NFL, basketball, hockey and athletics. It boasts an elite client list which includes many EPL clubs including Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as top Italian team Juventus plus many other international federations including England, Germany and Brazil.
Its APEX system tracks each athlete’s performance during practice sessions and games and provides direct and invaluable real-time feedback to coaching staff and players.
It measures and analyses physical attributes of players and can provide details on metrics such as distance covered, speed, acceleration, as well as insights on player load and the level of fatigue and injury risk of the athlete/player.
STATSports also recently launched its APEX Athlete Series – the most advanced, wearable athlete performance tracking device on the market - which allows individuals to track their data in the same manner as the world’s biggest sport stars (#TrackLikeAPro). It retails at £199.
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A decision at today's Newry, Mourne and Down Council, Planning Committee to reject the proposed out of town retail application st Carnbane has been welcomed by Retail NI, Newry Chamber of Commerce and Newry Business Improvement District.
Matrix Planning Consultancy, Retail NI and Newry BID made presentations to the committee to outline their objection to the application.
The Committee voted 4-2 in favour of accepting the Council Planners’ recommendation to reject the application.
In a joint statement, Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts, Newry Chamber CEO Colm Shannon and Newry BID MD, Eamonn Connolly said “This is a very welcome development and a good news story for Newry City Centre and its traders”
‘If this application had been granted, Carnbane would have been a competing city centre, drawing away jobs, retailers, hospitality and shoppers and would have caused incalculable damage to Newry City Centre. It would have had a retail impact on Newry City Centre of nearly 30% and would have been completely contrary to the town centre planning policy and the local development plan”
“We want Newry City Centre to be the location for new retail stores”
“Our three organisations believe that Newry City Centre has a fantastic future providing a competitive 21st Century retail and hospitality offer which is fun and family-friendly for shoppers North and South”
“We need to build on Newry’s strong track record of being an eco-system of innovation and meeting head-on the challenges that Brexit presents to the city”
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Emma Marmion, founder and Managing Director of Prestige HR, is the new President of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade taking over from BT’s Paul Convery.
It will also be the first time the Chamber has two women at the top, with Emma joined by Julie Gibbons who takes over the Vice President role.
The new Vice President is Managing Director of Brokering, Prestige Holdings Ltd, parent company of Abbey and Autoline Insurance.
Emma and Julie will be in their roles until the end of 2021, representing nearly 200 businesses in the Newry Area.
Prestige HR. has offices in Newry, Dundalk and Belfast. The company is recognised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development as one of the top HR and training consultancies in Northern Ireland.
With clients across Ireland, the UK and Europe, Emma has been a member of the Chamber since 2007, having previously been a member of Newry Junior Chamber.
Commenting on her appointment Emma said “As Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade is about to enter its 200th year representing the businesses of Newry, I feel honoured and privileged to lead the Chamber as their President. Our members employ more than 15,000 people and I appreciate and value the trust that members have placed in me at a challenging time for the Newry and Northern Ireland economies.
“Brexit has been the all-consuming issue for the past three years. But we are now at the crossroads. The UK is leaving the EU at the end of January and we must work hard to ensure the promises that were made about no hard border are delivered and that our region continues to exploit its location on the Dublin – Belfast economic corridor.
“I am confident that the spirit of entrepreneurship and resilience that Newry businesses are renowned for will ensure we can tackle the challenges and exploit the opportunities that our businesses will face in the coming years.
“Economically, Newry is in a strong position. As a local economy we have benefited from the development of the All Ireland Economy and free access to European markets. The Greater Newry Area has nearly 9,000 businesses. Six of our businesses are in the top 50 companies in Northern Ireland and nine in the top 100 companies.
“The Chamber, as the voice for local business in the Newry Area, will work hard to ensure that the area remains the premier destination, for retail, tourism, investment, entrepreneurship and employment. In the next two years I look forward to working with our members to help them grow their businesses and increase employment opportunities in the Newry Area.
Emma has built her reputation as a pioneer of change and is known nationally as an innovative, passionate and committed entrepreneur helping businesses create a culture of success. In addition to her role as President of Newry Chamber, Emma is also Vice Chair of Women’s Aid Armagh and Down.
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Local natural gas supplier firmus energy has outlined its investment of £1.5 million in the Newry area in the final half of 2019. The local investment formed part of a wider £10.3 million construction programme across Northern Ireland and work is already underway to extend the network further and connect new properties.
Established in 2006, firmus energy supplies gas to over 95,000 homes and businesses throughout Northern Ireland. The company has invested more than £11 million in the Newry area to date, where it currently has 3,711 customers. In the next six months, the total number of connectable properties in Newry is expected to rise to 1,400.
Commenting on the announcement, Paul Stanfield Director of Sales, Marketing and Customer Operations with firmus energy, said “Newry is a key town in our network area, we are pleased to announce such a significant investment which helps re-emphasise our commitment to the local area. The network extension inevitably leads to an increase in the demand for firmus approved natural gas installers.
“We have a number of dedicated installers who work along with the local firmus energy advisory team in the Newry area to help ensure seamless service provision across the board. New customers can enjoy in the cost and environmental benefits natural gas has to offer.
“Domestic customers have the benefit of constant hot water and instant heat, and gas can also be used for appliances in the home such as gas hobs, tumble driers and modern gas fires which can be lit at the touch of a button rather than having to lift heavy logs and coal.”
To see if you are able to switch to natural gas, please contact the firmus energy customer service on 0800 032 4567.
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