One of Northern Ireland’s biggest grammar schools has changed its admissions criteria to give higher priority to pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM). Belfast Royal Academy (BRA), which has more than 1,400 pupils, said the change followed “detailed” legal advice. Children seeking admission still need to have entered the AQE transfer test, which has been cancelled this year. But priority...
Belfast Harbour had its busiest ever year for freight traffic in 2021, with volumes surpassing pre-Covid levels. The harbour handled 25.6 million tonnes of freight, up 9% on 2020 and almost 7% more than in 2019. It said a bounce back in global trade and the impact of improved port infrastructure contributed to the performance. The impact of Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol is also having...
Belfast-based car dealership Charles Hurst has bought the Audi Centre in Dublin. Chairman of Charles Hurst, Ken Surgenor, said the company would be “investing significantly in the coming months”. The business will operate under the Charles Hurst brand, but continue to trade as “Audi Centre Ltd”. Founded in Belfast nearly a century ago, Charles Hurst is now the largest motor retail group in NI...
A Belfast software company co-founded by former Ireland rugby star Andrew Trimble has secured £500,000 of investment. Kairos Sports Tech said it expects to create new jobs as it expands its business across the US, Australia and Europe with the help of the funding from Whiterock Finance. The company, which was founded in 2018 by Mr Trimble and entrepreneur Gareth Quinn, has developed a...