Balmoral Show: Popular celebration of NI farming and food underway at Eikon Centre
Live |
Thousands of visitors are flocking to the 156th edition of the Balmoral Show, being held across the next four days at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn.
Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, it is Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event and will feature over 600 trade stands.
Balmoral show returns for 2025
Over 100,000 people are expected to enjoy the show, which also includes livestock competitions from showjumping to sheepshearing, vintage machinery and live music, between Wednesday and Saturday, 14-17 May.
Catch some of today's highlights by following our live blog below.
6 minutes ago
NI Secretary makes an appearance
12 minutes ago
National Show Jumping 🏇
It's over to the main horse ring now as 'Tokyo Drift' and her owner make leaps and bounds.
18 minutes ago
Beef Shorthorn podium time!
Beef Shorthorns secure podiums spots at the cattle ring breeding competition with first (#313) and second (#321) place.
24 minutes ago
The cattle judging has begun!
Dexter cattle, once an endangered species, are now lining up to be analysed by a judge.
He's the looking for the proportions and mannerisms of the cow to match the breed.
29 minutes ago
Our reporter is on the ground
Our man Abdullah Sabri has arrived and will be keeping us up to date with all the going on!
31 minutes ago
The gates are open!
PressEye
PressEye
Today 07:46 AM
What should I do at the Balmoral Show?
The 156th Balmoral Show is promising four days of farming, food and fun at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn and we're bringing you some of today's highlights.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
Welsh Government's £36m reserves announcement slammed 'You really couldn't make it up'
Welsh Government's £36m reserves announcement slammed 'You really couldn't make it up' Wales Online readers have been discussing the recent announcement by the Welsh Government concerning their plans for £36 million in reserves Wales' finance minister Mr Drakeford was speaking in the Senedd's finance committee (Image: Senedd TV ) Wales Online readers have been voicing their opinions on the recent revelation from the Welsh Government regarding the allocation of £36 million from reserves. The Welsh Government has announced it will utilise £36m from its reserves to address a shortfall resulting from a tax alteration by the UK Government. The change by the UK Labour government has seen an increase in the contribution employers must make towards National Insurance. Previously, businesses were charged a 13.8% rate on employees' earnings over £9,100 annually, but this has risen to 15% on wages above £5,000. Concurrently, the employment allowance – the sum employers can deduct from their NI bill – has gone up from £5,000 to £10,500. While the UK Government anticipates these adjustments will generate £25bn a year, there's been considerable anxiety among charities and businesses about meeting the additional costs. One reader, Alex Peters writes: "If they were really concerned, they wouldn't be wasting millions increasing the size of the Welsh Assembly." Tannerbanc says: "So the public sector is ok to carry on, e.g. expanding the Senedd, no need to review what are the 'essential services' and the private sector can get down to work harder to pay for it, from a man who has only lived in the public sector." Article continues below Morpick comments: "Perhaps the UK Government is getting tired of funding this circus that wastes enormous sums on its madcap ideas." StevenBoyd replies: "Now now, there's nothing 'madcap' about throwing hundreds of millions down the gaping airport hole. It goes to show just how bad Drakeford is at his job. That sum of money could be found by a decent manager tomorrow. Stop funding the Airport, stop any more Welsh language initiatives, like the next round that he himself announced last week, and cancel the WAG expansion." Ykr believes: "He seems to be very calm about all of this, just imagine what he would be like if it was a Tory government in power at Westminster." Middleclasssocialist writes: "As we were promised, the new Labour Government, under Sir Kier, has been far easier to deal with than that Tory Government it replaced and that new "partnership" has helped Wales prosper and thrive. Unlike the Tories, the new Labour Government pick up the phone and listen attentively to what their comrades in Wales think. You can't put a cost on that sort of partnership. £36 million is a drop in the ocean. "As an example, that's only double the cost of what the badly needed, vital, 36 new Senedd Members will cost per year. Also, Caerphilly Council alone, apparently, spent £2.6 million keeping it's libraries open last year. Across Wales, simply closing all of them would cover this £36million easily." Abetterchoice4wales thinks: "When you have built a society dependent upon the state and benefits is it any wonder Wales is the biggest failing economy in Britain." Dyffrynteg says: "With money so hard to come by, possibly the millions wasted on unwanted 20 mph road signs and the millions which will be wasted year after year on an expanded Welsh assembly wasn't such a good idea after all?" Chalky Snr writes: "Quote yet again 'I will provide £36 million' Who the hell does he think he is? The fellow failed NHS Wales cabinet minister who put him there rather than out to pasture is unfortunately for us as much out of her depth as the last two so called first ministers were. Surely Wales deserves better." Lustyboy adds: "You really couldn't make it up. After years of being told that the tories were totally to blame for all of Wales' problems and that Labour in Westminster and Cardiff would provide the platform for a bright future (despite 25 years of devolution administered by labour) What do we find? A Labour government treating with total contempt the Welsh Labour administration. Unbelievable." Grumpygramps says: "Did I miss the point where he also wants the UK tax payer to cough up for the NI increases the Welsh private sector are going to have find? No, thought not." Inreality feels: "Ummm, maybe spending all the UK money on extra senedd expansion was a bad idea!" Styo asks: "Why not look at where we can reduce non-essential 'vanity' expenditure? basically if it isn't curing cancer, emptying bins, building roads, teaching kids or locking crims up, it is being wasted." Article continues below Simoncorkswill believes: "So in fact the Conservatives were obviously giving a great deal of money to Wales, but in an attempt to make them seem as if they were doing the opposite the Labour Welsh government squirrelled away the funds that could have been spent to aid the Welsh people, why is this not a surprise?" Do you think that the Senedd are in the right by helping to pay off some of the funding shortfall? Comment below or HERE to join in the conversation.
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Wholesale and retail giant Musgrave spent £1.2bn in NI economy last year
Musgrave NI, which owns the Centra, Mace and SuperValu names, has published a report on its economic contribution prepared by economists at Grant Thornton on the company's behalf. The report said the company supports 5,000 jobs while working with 250 NI suppliers, and 'investing significantly in local communities'. The report said it had spent a total of £1.2bn across the NI economy in 2024, adding £329m in Gross Value Added (GVA) and paying £121.5m in wages, representing 3.7% of sector employment. The report also said Musgrave, which has operated here since 1983, has invested £240m in NI supply chain partnerships and worked indirectly with over 3,000 farmers. Grant Thornton calculated that Musgrave's total spend with NI suppliers amounted to a further £256m in indirect expenditure. Last year, the company launched new brand, Good Food Locally Sourced, in a £14m investment in partnerships with local suppliers. It also made capital investments of £16m in new and refurbished stores and energy-saving upgrades. Across the SuperValu, Centra and Mace brands, Musgrave operates over 220 stores across Northern Ireland and plans to grow the network in 2025 and beyond. Trevor Magill, Musgrave NI managing director, said: 'Right across the board, we have deepened our investment in Northern Ireland over the past year through new store openings and refurbishments, environmental initiatives, local sourcing partnerships, and impactful charity contributions. 'To see this all accumulate into a figure of £1.2bn in economic output makes me incredibly proud of our team and the efforts that are made.' Andrew Webb, chief economist at Grant Thornton said: 'To be responsible for injecting £1.2bn of spending into the economy in one year is an incredible feat and something that doesn't happen without momentous effort.' Musgrave NI's wholesale division includes Musgrave Marketplace, Drinks Inc., La Rousse Foods and recently acquired businesses Robb Wines, Parkview Provisions and AFT.
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Leader Live
Wrexham Council Leader discusses budget report for 2024/25
The report is set to be presented to the Executive Board next Tuesday (June 10), outlining the council's financial performance for Q4 of 2024/25. The final position represents a total net deficit compared to the budget of £1.7m It is recommended that the £1.7m is taken from the Budget Mitigation reserve as intended, to support the revenue budget in 2024/25. The council's general balances remain unchanged at £8.4m. Ahead of the meeting, Leader of the Council Mark Pritchard stated his concerns over potential National Insurance (NI) payments that local authorities are expected to pick up. The UK Government are expected to fund 75 per cent, with Welsh Government adding a top up of £36m, but that still leaves a gap of 15% that the council would need to cover. Mark Pritchard. (Image: Wrexham Council) The Leader of the Council said: "I'm really pleased with where we are at this moment in time with regards to the outturn. "There's been a lot of work to get us to this point and it hasn't been easy. One thing I must say is we can't rest on our laurels and we need to bring a budget in and we will continue to do in these extremely difficult times. "I do have concerns in the future over funding as there is an election coming and we don't know where we are on the NI side. "We feel we've been done to without consultation, this wasn't in any bodies manifesto, they've announced this, gone in another direction. They promised us they'd protect us between Wales and Westminster and they'd protect public services, if this is protecting public services – we've got a rough ride ahead of us. "It's unfair from a government that they are opposing NI on us, an example is the social care budget is £100m, £70m of that is paid to external providers, they will all have NI increases and they will all knock our door for it. "It's just extra pressure that we could do without at this moment in time. REALATED READING: Wrexham schools "overspending" making the council "uncomfortable", says leader "We're given a certain amount of money that we spend within the council and we make political decisions on where to spend it. "The general public are more understanding now, but we have a certain amount of money, we have a legal and statutory duty to deliver services, is a requirement and the other services have to wait in line to see if there's cuts or spending. "It's very, very difficult to bring in budget, echoed across the country, it's tough times." The council spent over £107m on social care in 2024/25, which was £6.5m over what they had budgeted for the financial year. The Leader of the council was quick to state that that level of spending is down to the current levels of demand for the service. He said: "These aren't overspends in the statutory services in terms of adult and children social services, these are demand led pressures with members of the public coming through the door needing help. "I believe that social care demand is going to increase, the demand is going to continue to come through the door. What I would say to anyone who challenges social care – what if it was your mother, what if it was your father, brother, sister who needed help in social care. "What would you expect? I would expect first class service and I would expect councils to make sure social care is safe and the most vulnerable people in society are looked after." When asked whether it's possible the council could become a statutory service only, Cllr Pritchard responded: 'Only time will tell, we are looking to remodel and change things, even if we do that the demand is still growing. "The more demand in statutory services, if we don't have money from government, we'll have to put more money in to meet the demand and then we're outstripping non-statutory services. MOST READ: Woman drove wrong way along A483 in Wrexham whilst 'very drunk,' court told Planning application submitted for huge new housing development in Wrexham Jealous thug headbutted ex after 'asking about her sex life with new man' "For some reason the governments aren't giving the money we require. None of us want any local authorities in Wales to go bankrupt. We're not asking great demands, only asking for local authorities delivering statutory services and safeguarding. "All we'll do is keep taking money from non statutory to put into statutory services. The frankness of it is in my opinion is the pressure is immense. When questioned on whether he believes it will take a Section 114 (bankruptcy) notice from a local authority in Wales for the Welsh Government to understand the current pressures, Cllr Pritchard said: "Honestly, yes, I think that's what it will take and I hope that never happens I wouldn't want to see it happen to any authority in Wales, I wouldn't. "I think if one goes, it will be a domino effect, let's hope that we never get there."
