Latest news with #Belfast-born
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Record
Acclaimed artist and sculptor given green light for ambitious proposals at historic building in Maybole
Belfast-born Siobhan Hapaska has taken on the building after it was previously placed on the market. An internationally renowned sculptor and award-winning artist has been granted permission to breathe new life into the former Post Office building on Maybole's High Street. Ayrshire Live previously told how Belfast-born Siobhan Hapaska had taken on the building after it was previously placed on the market. She then announced plans to turn the 112 year-old building into an artist's residence/work studio. Now her proposals have been approved under delegated powers. In 1993 Ms Hapaska won a Barclays Young Artist Award and had her first solo exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London during 1995 and 1996. Hapaska has exhibited her works throughout the world, most notably at Paris, Dublin, Stockholm and Hamburg, among others. Some of her works explore themes of conflict, faith and the human condition. And she uses a variety of synthetic and natural materials in her work too, along with sound and light elements. Much of her work involves large installations. Ms Hapaska submitted a planning application to South Ayrshire Council, seeking permission for a change of use at the site, to make alterations, carry out stone cleaning and repaint the windows and doors at the historic C-listed building. In a supporting statement she said: 'I had been looking for a suitable live/work studio and was delighted to find the Post Office building in Maybole. The rear sorting office is ideal to be used as an artist's studio due to the light provided by the glass ceiling panels which run the length of this space. 'The property also provides good access due to the main gates off the High Street and the various doors to the rear and side of the building.' Ms Hapaska continues: 'The first floor of the post office building has rudimentary facilities, a small kitchen and toilet with two further rooms with existing fireplace openings. I would like to convert the ground floor of the post office to provide adequate facilities so that I may live there while making sculpture and preparing future projects. This would also allow me to provide some space on the first floor to accommodate visiting curators from the UK and internationally. 'The proximity to Glasgow is ideal due to the airport and the fact that Glasgow is the UK's second most important city for art. 'It would be great to give Maybole more visibility in this context, specially with its regeneration ambitions and a community that are already very interested in creative pursuits. 'I have introduced myself to local people who seem delighted that the post office will be used as an artist's studio and envisage future collaborations with differing projects.' With regard to the post office building, it is Ms Hapaska's intention to 'preserve' the 'beautiful C listed building,' adding: 'It has been vacant for quite some time and now needs some remedial attention to preserve it. 'The High Street in Maybole is currently looking rather grim. I would like to have the front and side aspect of the post office steam cleaned, the method which I believe is being used by Maybole Castle as it is a very gentle way to clean the stone facade. 'I will also have the existing windows, doors and gates stripped back and repainted to preserve them. I will use the same historic colours to keep a reference to the building's former history. 'In general, I have experienced a very welcoming community who are delighted with my intentions and the fact that I will enhance the building's appearance, contributing to the visual upgrade of the High Street.' In approving the proposals, council papers said: 'The proposals seek to restore and bring back into use a prominently located category C listed building within Maybole Conservation Area. From the details of the works outlined within both the submitted plans and the methodology/ supporting statements submitted in support of the proposals, it is considered that the works proposed as part of this application follow best conservation practice. 'The works will serve to preserve and enhance the character, appearance and setting of the listed building and the wider Maybole Conservation Area at this locale.'
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
A British waitress is going viral for being connected to the Royal family: All you need to know about her
Image credits: X A British waitress is going viral for her secret link to the Royal family and it is something you could have never guessed on your own. Lady Frances nee Armstrong-Jones is the youngest daughter of Lord Snowdon, the former husband of Princess Margaret and his wife Lucy Hogg, whom he married shortly after finalising his divorce. Frances was born seven months later to the couple. Her father, photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones was given the peerage of Lord Snowdon in 1961, a year after he married the Queen's younger sister, Princess Margaret. The couple welcomed two children, David, 63 and Lady Sarah Chatto, 61, who are the only cousins of King Charles and his three siblings on his mother's side. What does Lady Frances nee Armstrong-Jones do? Well, Lady Frances owns The Yellow Bittern, an eatery located just three miles away from Buckingham Palace. Opened in October 2024, the eatery is run by the 45-year-old along with her husband, chef Hugh Corcoran and bookseller Oisin Daves. What's unique about Lady Frances' eatery is the fact that it just has 18 seats you can book for one of the two Monday to Friday lunchtime sittings by telephone or postcard. Additionally, it is a cash-only establishment where there is no menu and the dishes for the day are written on a chalkboard. Frances' story of love Frances has not been away from the royal life. She was one of the bridesmaids during the wedding of her half-sister Lady Sarah Chatto which happened in 1994. In one of the photographs she can be seen in a frame that includes the late Queen. Her husband on the other hand is a Belfast-born Irish republican who dreams of cooking for the RMT trade unionists who have an office round the corner from their tiny restaurant. However, for them it's less of an opposites attract situation and more of a things in common ground. The duo has a similar approach to life and shares a love for a leisurely midday meal. Frances founded a magazine Her love for food and a long lunch is not limited to her restaurant. In 2017 Frances founded a food and lifestyle magazine Luncheon, which presents its readers with high culture, food and interesting conversations. She revealed to Vogue that Luncheon, which now operates in the same building as her restaurant, is "a cocktail of images, photographs, designs and illustration. And lots of conversations between a ninety-year-old artist and a 20-year-old photographer"
Irish Independent
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Electric air taxi company Vertical Aerospace completes key flight
It makes a landmark step for the company, which has endured a tumultuous few years that saw it undergo a major restructuring as it continued development of its aircraft. Vertical is one of a number of firms developing vertical take-off and landing electric air taxis that they are hoping will become major green transport modes in busy cities across the world. The company was founded by Belfast-born businessman Stephen Fitzpatrick and was heavily backed by Dublin-based jet lessor Avolon. Mr Fitzpatrick stepped down as Vertical's CEO in 2023. Mr Slattery, CEO of Avolon until 2022, stepped down as Vertical's chairman in 2023, before being reappointed to the role this year. The landmark flight of the VX4 prototype in the UK, piloted by chief test pilot Si Davies, saw the aircraft take off, fly and land like a conventional aircraft, with lift generated by the wing. In phase three testing – wingborne flight – the VX4 operates like a conventional aircraft using lift generated by its wings, rather than relying solely on rotor thrust. This low-power, quiet mode of flight is key to making electric air travel practical, scalable and economically viable, according to Vertical Aerospace. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved the flight through open airspace at Cotswold Airport by extending Vertical's permit to fly. 'Achieving piloted wingborne flight in open airspace under the oversight of the UK CAA is an important moment in our certification journey,' said Vertical Aerospace CEO Stuart Simpson. 'Operating under the UK's rigorous regulatory framework means we share the burden of safety with our regulator – every step must be approved, and that's by design. It amounts to a mini-certification of our prototype and gives us a clearer, faster path to type certification.' Last year, Vertical Aerospace sued a British company that was involved in the development and manufacture of major components for its prototype aircraft. Vertical Aerospace floated in New York in 2021, valuing it at $2.2bn (€1.9bn). The company's market capitalisation slumped to as low as $162m last year, but has since risen to $455m.
Belfast Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
NI producer who worked on hit TV show Severance among Ulster University's honorary grads
The list of honourees includes director and producer of gripping AppleTV+ series Severance, Aoife McArdle, Netflix VFX Executive Laura Livingstone, Belfast-born kickboxing legend and businessman, Billy Murray, and director general of Europe's biggest conservation charity, The National Trust, Hilary McGrady.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
HT Archives: Arundhati Roy wins Booker for her debut novel
October 16, 1997 The imposing chandeliered Guildhall full of literati, academicians and well-known faces from the publishing world broke into a polite applause as the five judges announced their unanimous decision awarding the 29th Booker prize (around £21,000), so far, the most prestigious literary award in Britain, to 37-year-old Arundhati Roy from New Delhi for her first novel The God of Small Things. The award to her did not cause any flutter in the hall as she was a hot favourite to win. Bookmakers Ladbrokes refused to take any more bets soon after noon on the 9/4 rated writer while booksellers were unanimously saying that Ms. Roy would easily win . Her closest rivals to start with were Nick Jackson (The Underground Man) and Jim Crace (Quarantine). But in the final discussions she beat the fancied Belfast-born Bernard Mac Lavert (Grace Notes) and Madeliene St. John (The Essence of The Thing). Ms. Roy, wearing a maroon silk sari, was overwhelmed with emotion as people gathered round to congratulate her. She said, 'There is no book which has universal admiration... another set of judges would have chosen another book.' 'There is no such thing as a perfect book. If there had been five different judges there might have been another winner. It is as much luck as worthiness,' she added She averred that she would resist the urge to write a second novel. 'For me this prize is about my past. Having written this. I am back to square one. I do not know whether I will write another.' About the much criticised and controversial Booker prize awards she said. 'Reviews and prizes are somehow for readers more than writer.' Ms Roy has proved Salman Rushdie right. He said during a discussion the night before the award that there are a lot of young writers who do not appear to be promising and one feels that the novel scene is dull, when suddenly a book comes up and the writer is acknowledged as talented. Ms. Roy has established herself firmly by walking away with the prize with her first novel, although voices of disappointments and dissent inevitably follow the judges' verdict almost every year. At least no judge walked out of the meeting as one lady had done two years ago, refusing to endorse the majority choice. The decision this year, one learns, did not take long although naturally two more books on the list were initially discussed. In fact, the final list for consideration was heavily criticised for not including Ian McEwan's Enduring Love. The real reason for disappointment was that there was not a single writer from the London literary scene. A very elated Tarun J. Tejpal of Indiaink, which published Ms. Roy's book, told this correspondent that he was naturally delighted but until the announcement he was sure that the award would go to someone else. 'Every factor was against it.' He explained that there was such a build-up for Ms. Roy's novel in the book world and such an overwhelming consensus for it to win the prize that he expected the judges, who tend to do their own thing, to choose some other writer. He expected them to be somewhat upset at almost being weighed down by the consensus that had built up. It's also the Mother Teresa syndrome of doing good which often guides the judges. They generally decide to promote a new talent which needs promotion. Whereas, Mr Tejpal further added, Ms. Roy's book, despite being a hardback and a serious literary work (released on April 4 this year) had already sold 4,00,000 copies in the first six months. Its commercial success has been bewildering, Mr Tejpal said. A spokesperson of the booksellers. Waterstones, which has sold 300 hardback copies at one of their branches in London since June, agreed that 300 was a large number for a 'literary' book. 'If I was a betting man I would back it,' he said earlier in the evening. Ms. Roy's 350-page book, which took four years to write, started a bidding war in the publishing world and reportedly fetched £1 million for the rights. It has been published in 19 and sold in 30 countries. It is so far the 16th most popular hardback here with 953 copies sold in the last seven days. Its sale is set to pick up now. Judge's panel chair Gillian Beer said after the award, 'With extraordinary linguistic inventiveness, Ms. Roy funnels the history of south India through the eyes of seven-year-old twins. The story is fundamental as well as local. It is about love and death yet tells its tale quite clearly. We were all engrossed by this novel'. There were of course some dissenting notes. One lady critic told this correspondent that she developed such distaste for the book that she was sure the judges would pick it. 'Judges have such extraordinary tastes.' Another critic, Carmen Callil ,who chaired last year's panel, said, 'It has got a vulgarity about it that embarrasses me.' From New Delhi President K. R. Narayanan led the nation in congratulating Arundhati Roy. 'I was delighted to learn that you have been awarded the Booker prize this year. Please accept my hearty congratulations. All of us in India are proud of your achievement,' Mr Narayanan said in a letter to Ms. Roy. 'I feel particularly proud as you hail from my own district of Kottayam,' the President added on a personal note. Prime Minister I. K. Gujral also felicitated Ms. Roy. He said the whole country took pride in this signal honour bestowed upon her. Union Human Resource Development Minister S. R. Bommai also congratulated Ms. Roy. He said the novel indisputably portrays the problems and possibilities that characterize our society today. It was not only an excellent work of art but also an expression of conscience that exposes social ills like discrimination against women and against untouchables by casteist hierarchy, he added. 'This is a moment of celebration not only for writers of India but also for every one of its citizens,' Mr Bommai said, adding that Ms. Roy has added to the glorious achievements of Indian writing.
