Glentoran owner reveals how much he pours into Oval side every season to keep them competitive
Glentoran owner Ali Shams Pour has confessed that keeping the east Belfast club afloat costs him up to £1m per year of his own money.
The Welsh-Iranian business man purchased the Glens in 2019 with dreams of restoring the club to its past glories. However, Pour's multi-million investment in the Irish League club has been beset with problems.
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South Wales Argus
34 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Cardiff restaurant named among UK's best at national awards
The National Restaurant Awards took place on Monday (June 9), celebrating "the brilliance and vibrancy of the UK restaurant scene, honouring the best chefs and operators across the country". Awards handed out at the annual event included: National Restaurant of the Year Gastropub of the Year Chef of the Year Cocktail List of the Year Wine List of the Year Opening of the Year Best Restaurant in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (four individual awards) A list of the UK's top 100 restaurants was also revealed, featuring one Cardiff-based restaurant - Gorse. The best restaurants in the UK The best restaurants in the UK, according to the National Restaurant Awards, are: Why Gorse is among the UK's best restaurants Gorse was ranked the 56th best restaurant in the country at the National Restaurant Awards. It has been described as a "tiny yet brilliant modern Welsh restaurant" and made history in 2025 by bagging Cardiff its first ever Michelin star. The National Restaurant Awards said: "Not bad going given that Gorse is the chef's debut restaurant and had been open for less than 12 months." Gorse: Cardiff's First MICHELIN Star, As Seen By Our Inspectors@gorserestaurant #Cardiff #MICHELINStar Dive deep into the latest MICHELIN Star in Wales, and the first in its capital, with this Inspector's-eye view of a truly wonderful dining experiencehttps:// — The MICHELIN Guide (@MichelinGuideUK) February 11, 2025 The "unassuming" Pontcanna restaurant (named after the shrub) is focused on seasonal Welsh produce and is fronted by chef Tom Waters. The awards website continues: "Gorse is one of the most accessible fine dining restaurants on this list offering tasting menus from as little as £60 per head. "But the longer tasting menu is where the kitchen's ambition shines, with standout dishes including the likes of Pembrokeshire mackerel with horseradish, lovage and apple; roasted kelp custard with N25 Kaluga Hybrid caviar; and a clever dish of rhubarb partnered with toasted hay cream, egg yolk jam and lavender. "Service is polished but relaxed with the minimalist Nordic-inspired 22-cover interior keeping the focus firmly on the food. "Striking a balance between classic and new wave winemakers, Gorse's wine list complements Waters' cooking beautifully but don't miss out on the restaurant's signature Martini, which is flavoured with local seaweed." Customers agree Michelin star Gorse is "exquisite" It's not just the experts who love Gorse, but customers as well, with it boasting a 4.8 (out of 5) rating on Tripadvisor from 25 reviews. Surpurlatives used to describe the Pontcanna restaurant by visitors include "exquisite", "unbelievable" and "outstanding". One person, commenting about their experience at the restaurant, said: "I had the 10 course menu with wine pairings - each course was delicious and the wine was paired perfectly. "The staff were attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. Well deserving of a Michelin star." RECOMMENDED READING: Another customer added: "Exquisite just about covers it.... sublime food, fantastic atmosphere, open kitchen and prep areas makes for an enhanced experience watching the meticulous detail from Tom and his team. "Matched with really interesting and very reasonably priced wine (especially the 5% Contero Moscat meaning I could enjoy the dessert even more). "Pontcanna continues to shine in the food universe."
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Oil prices soar after Israel launches strikes on Iran's capital
London's FTSE 100 Index dropped 0.6%, down 56 points to 8828.6, in early morning trading on Thursday after heavy overnight losses on Asian stock markets as the worries spooked investors. The strikes by Israel on Iran's capital Tehran early on Friday are said to be the most significant attack the country has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq and have led to concerns over an all-out conflict between the two Middle Eastern countries. In Washington, the Trump administration said it had not been involved in the attack and warned Iran not to retaliate against US interests or personnel. It threatens disruption to the supply of crude from the Middle East while some traders flagged concerns it could also impact the flow of liquified natural gas (LNG) if tensions escalate. Rising oil prices could threaten to push up inflation in the UK, possibly impacting the outlook for further interest rate cuts. The Bank of England has been cutting rates but, as inflation strays further from the 2% target, it has less leeway to bring down borrowing costs. Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'It's not just the outlook for Iranian exports that's a concern but also the potential for disruption to shipping in the Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about 20% of global oil flows and an even higher proportion of liquified natural gas haulage.' He added: 'The escalation of military action adds another factor to consider for central bankers in an already complex world as they weigh up the inflationary impact of ever-changing tariff rates and a weakening outlook for jobs and growth.' On the London market, oil giants BP and Shell were among the biggest risers on the steep gains in the cost of crude, with shares up 2% for both firms. Aerospace giant BAE Systems was also moving higher as the threat of a full-scale war in the Middle East put defence stocks back in the spotlight, with the stock up 3%. But London-listed airlines were down sharply, hit by a double whammy as rising oil prices spell higher fuel costs for the sector and following the devastating air crash in India. British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines fell more than 4% and easyJet was just under 4% lower in morning trading.
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
'UK - EU agreement is huge boost for farmers'
The sheer amount of red tape has meant it has been very difficult for the export of shelf-life foods such as meat, fruit and vegetables. The need for increased identity and physical checks, including all the additional paperwork such as export health certificates and phytosanitary certificates have all contributed to long queues with produce sat at the border, incurring further costs and difficulties for the industry. When you consider that a third of Welsh lamb and around 90 per cent of Welsh food and drink exports go to the European single market, it's clear to see how fettered access has a huge impact on farmers across the country. Thankfully, the details of the new agreement penned in May look positive for agriculture across the region. Firstly, there will be the removal of some routine checks on medium risk fruit and veg and much of the additional paperwork will be reduced or eliminated entirely. There will also be the removal of some routine checks on animal and plant products, meaning that the UK can again sell raw sausages and burgers to the EU, something the British Meat Processors Association declared could 'bring back the trade that simply ceased after Brexit, due to crippling red tape and tens of millions of extra costs'. Over all, the NFU has welcomed the agreement, which essentially will mean faster and simpler border checks and reduced export costs. However, it stressed the need to secure exclusions from dynamic alignments, such as the Precision Breeding Bill, and for protections in the UK's ability to make regulatory decisions as further agreements are made. Nick Park is director of Cwmbran-based Accountants & Tax Advisors, Green & Co, and a member of the Country Landowners Association (CLA) National Taxation Committee.
