What a night we had last night at the Greater Newry Area Business Awards 2021 in the Canal Court Hotel & Spa for our first major in person event in over 18 months.
Thank to our two Principal Sponsors, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Shelbourne Motors and our 25 Category Sponsors for your support of this biennial Business Awards Programme, rewarding excellence in the Greater Newry Area.
We would like to thank each and every business and individual who took the time to enter the Greater Newry Area Business Awards 2021 and congratulations to all those winners, highly commended and finalists.
GREATER NEWRY AREA BUSINESS AWARDS 2021 WINNERS:
CLICK HERE
Also in this week’s update, we have included information on:
► NI Executive Agree Relaxations To Current COVID-19 Restrictions.
► Shared Island Initiative, National Development Plan 2021 – 2030.
► Regions & Nations Tracker: Small Business Finance Markets 2021.
► Invest NI International Export Conference on China.
Tony McKeown
Chief Executive Officer
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade
GREATER NEWRY AREA CELEBRATES BUSINESS SUCCESS
The resilience of the local business community in the Greater Newry Area was celebrated at a glittering awards ceremony last night in the Canal Court Hotel and honoured the achievements of 27 individuals and organisations.
The Greater Newry Area Business Awards 2021 were organised by the Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade and supported by Principal Sponsors:
► Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
► Shelbourne Motors
The Outstanding Contribution to the Greater Newry Area Awards went to Ciaran Rafferty. The highly respected Solicitor has for over four decades been involved with charity and community sector organisations. Most notably Newry Credit Union, St Vincent de Paul and Clanrye Group.
Best Businessman was awarded to Connaire McGreevy of CTS – Connect Transform Sustain with the award for Best Businesswoman going to Gemma Murphy from Jack Murphy Jewellers.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL LIST OF WINNERS
RELAXATIONS TO NI COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
The NI Executive has today agreed a number of gradual and proportionate relaxations to the current Coronavirus restrictions, informed by medical and scientific advice.
RELAXATIONS: 14th October 2021
- Further relaxations around the numbers permitted in private dwellings and move away from the maximum number of people allowed to gather from 15 from four households to a total cap to 30.
- The requirement for audience members to be seated when watching performances in indoor venues will be removed.
RELAXATIONS: 31st October 2021
- Allow people to move around hospitality premises and indoor venues, including being able to stand to have a drink and eat food.
- The restrictions on indoor dancing will be lifted.
- The need to maintain social distancing in hospitality settings, such as pubs and restaurants will move to guidance. Whilst the legal requirement for social distancing will now be removed, people are asked to keep close face-to-face contact to a minimum at all times.
- Nightclubs will be permitted to reopen.
MITIGATIONS
These relaxations rely on the adoption and implementation of measures that will help reduce the transmission of the virus and allow people to gather more safely in settings that would otherwise be considered higher risk.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN COMMITS RECORD €3.5BN
BUDGET FOR COLLABORATIVE CROSS-BORDER INVESTMENT
The Irish Government announced a significant additional funding and increased level of ambition for collaborative cross-border investment in the Shared Island dimension of the reviewed National Development Plan 2021 – 2030.
Under the Plan, total all-island investment through the extended Shared Island Fund, the Project Ireland 2040 funds, the Government’s annual funding for North/South cooperation and PEACE PLUS programme, delivered with the EU, UK & NI Executive, is more than €3.5bn.
The Irish Government’s commitment of €500m to the Shared Island Fund, will be at least doubled out to 2030.
The investment priorities include:
- The creation of an island-wide greenway network, linking the Atlantic Coast with Eastern Seaboard.
- Enhanced all-island rail connectivity including the intro of hourly rail service on Dublin-Belfast line.
- Coordinated investment to roll-out Electric Vehicle charging networks across the island.
- Enhancing support for enterprise development on an all-island basis.
- Funding for all-island climate actions.
- €40m North/South Research Programme and the creation of new all-island research centres.
- Develop third-level education infrastructure in the North West Region.
- Progressing new cross-border built and natural heritage initiatives, including a focus on the culture and heritage of minority communities in the Border Counties.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL SHARED ISLAND CHAPTER.
REGIONS & NATIONS TRACKER 2021
The British Business Bank’s recently published their first ever annual ‘Regions and Nations Tracker’, which revealed that regional disparities persist, particularly in access to equity finance and private debt.
The report reveals insight such as how external finance is now used by 4 in 10 businesses in the UK, but a lack of local investors leads to wasted economic potential.
Overview of the report findings in NI:
- NI businesses heavily reliant on core debt products which may impact rapid growth potential.
- Distance matters – in 59% of equity investment stakes between 2011 and 2020 in NI, the investor and company are within two hours of each other, with 44% within 20 minutes.
- Rural business owners more likely to inject personal funds into their business than urban entrepreneurs because of a lack of growth finance options.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
INVEST NI: INTERNATIONAL EXPORT CONFERENCE ON CHINA
DATE: Tuesday 19th October 2021
TIME: 9:30am – 11:30am
In partnership with NI Bureau China, Invest NI are hosting an International Export Conference on Chinato promote the export opportunities available to businesses from Northern Ireland in the region.
During the conference, you will learn about exporting to China and the assistance that Invest NI delivers both domestically and on the ground.
Delegates will also have the opportunity to attend one of four sector-focused sessions:
► Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering
► Education
► Food & Drink
► Life & Health Sciences
Invest NI sectoral experts working in China will lead these bespoke information sessions, supported by representatives from NI companies currently exporting to China and their local partners in the market.
They will explain the practicalities of doing business in China from the company perspective.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.