Business First Summer 2017 Business First Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 6

IN THE HEADLINES
Institute Of Directors NI celebrate
60th Gala Ball
IoD NI chair Ian Sheppard presents a bouquet to IoD Northern Ireland outgoing Director Linda Brown
he Institute of Directors (IoD) Northern
Ireland marked its 60th anniversary
with a glittering Gala Ball at Titanic
Belfast. The sparkling event, hosted by BBC
Northern Ireland broadcaster Wendy Austin
celebrated the history of the IoD in Northern
Ireland from its foundation in 1957 to its
growth into one of the most influential
business organisations in the region.
Highlights of the evening included a charity
draw in aid of IoD NI’s Charity of the Year,
Mencap, with a £3,000 diamond pendant
donated by Lunn’s the Jewellers among the
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prizes.
The event also marked the final official
engagement for Linda Brown before her
retirement in the summer.
With more than 800 members in Northern
Ireland, drawn from the private, public and
voluntary sectors, the IoD promotes, through
networking and continual professional
development, high standards of leadership
and corporate governance throughout the
economy.
(For a full gallery of pictures from the Ball,
visit businessfirstonline.co.uk)
New Gallery Cafe for Dublin Road
stylish new café and bar on the
Dublin Road has officially
opened this week, creating 32
full and part­time jobs, as part of a
one million­pound investment by The
Richland Group, the London­based
property company.
Situated on the ground floor of the
award­winning Gallery apartment
building, which opened earlier this
year, the café brings the industrial
chic of New York’s meatpacking
district to the streets of Belfast and
features an elegant open­plan
restaurant, bar and art gallery.
Designed according to the Feng
Shui concept by leading local expert Master
San Wu, the café has a contemporary
metropolitan style, with floor to ceiling
windows, Philippe Starck ghost chairs,
chalkboard menus and the largest crystal
chandeliers in Belfast.
The new apartment block and café is the
brainchild of local man Gary McCausland,
Chief Executive of The Richland Group. Gary
said: “The Dublin Road is an up and coming
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buzzing area and we are enormously proud
to be part of Belfast’s exciting regeneration
and development.
“We have created a versatile place in the
heart of the city which offers the perfect spot
for social or business occasions.”
The Gallery, which is split across a ground
floor and mezzanine level, is open all day,
with late nights on Thursday, Friday and
Saturday and offers a breakfast, lunch and
bistro menu.
Craft Gin
Company is a
tonic for Tesco
he Northern Irish drinks company,
BOTL Ltd, has secured a listing with
Tesco that means its Belfast 1912 Cask
Gin is stocked in Tesco stores across
Northern Ireland, with sales of more than
£250,000 forecasted for the first year, which
will please the rising number of gin
aficionados in the province.
A secret spirit recipe circa 1912 was
discovered in 1994 and research confirmed it
was connected to the old Avoniel Distillery in
Belfast. After several years in development,
Avoniel Distillers Ltd finally launched Belfast
1912 Cask Gin onto the market under the
Belfast 1912 Cask Gin brand in recent years.
Belfast 1912 Cask Gin is a perfectly
balanced classic Juniper­led gin London Dry
Gin with a dry mid­palate. The new listing
with Tesco NI reinforces Belfast 1912 Gin
Cask’s position as a premium craft gin that
delivers both in flavour as well as classic
design.
Conor O’Neill, Sales Director of BOTL Ltd,
the global distributor for Belfast 1912 Cask
Gin, said: “Since we launched Belfast 1912
Cask Gin, it has been a goal of the company to
secure a listing with a large retailer such as
Tesco. We are delighted we will now see our
distinctive blue bottle on the shelves of Tesco
stores across the province. A listing like this
has introduced many new customers to the
product and we are thrilled with the positive
response so far.”
Jonathan McWhinney Packaged Food
Buying Manager, Tesco Northern Ireland, said
“The Northern Irish love affair with craft gin
continues to grow and when you marry the
resurgence of the spirit with our customers’
desire for locally sourced products – it meant
the decision to stock Belfast Cask Gin was an
easy one. The Northern Irish palate has
changed and our shoppers want something
more than just a great taste, they want a
premium experience, and a gin that deserves
to be savoured – Belfast 1912 Cask Gin
delivers all that and more and we are
delighted to bring it to our customers.”
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