2 < NEWS
December 2009
CONTENTS WHAT’S INSIDE . . . CITY CAUSE - Unite Against Hate Campaign THE BODY TELLS ALL - Body language expert Des Fitz analyses our local celebs
MONEY - Supplementary incomes, special report ENTERTAINMENT - Everything from rock and dance to arts and culture
FASHION ON A BUDGET - Miss Earth Northern Ireland urging people to consider recycled fashion this Christmas party season
TRAVEL - An easy way to warm up this winter WEDDING - Westend star and Belfast girl Rachel Tucker’s wedding
HOMES - Win a Terry Bradley print MOTORS - Win tickets to TOP GEAR CITY news@fameinc.co.uk 028 9020 1405 Ormeau Road, Belfast EDITOR: Tina Calder | tina@fameinc.co.uk PICTURE EDITOR: Fabrizio Belluschi | fab@fameinc.co.uk BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Steve Petrie | steve@fameinc.co.uk SUB-EDITOR: Jayde Mulvenna FASHION & BEAUTY CONSULTANT: Gemma Garrett | news@fameinc.co.uk BUSINESS CONSULTANT: David Meade | info@davidmeade.co.uk DESIGN: Eugene Murray | Genie Murray Graphics | geniemurray@mac.com PRINT LIAISON: Eugene Murray | Genie Murray Graphics | geniemurray@mac.com PRINTED BY: Independent News & Media, Northern Ireland CITY is published by FAME Inc. All content is copyright of FAME Inc. All rights reserved. All information correct at time of going to print. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Views expressed in CITY are contributors own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. YOUR COMMENTS & COMPETITION ENTRIES TERMS & CONDITIONS All entrants to competitions within CITY may have their details kept on file for future use unless otherwise stated on entry. Your comments may be reproduced in whole or in part by the editor and attributed to your name. A winners list is available on written request to the editor. Texts to the CITY text line cost 50p per text plus your standard network rate.
Colin Conn of BOX Architects, Anne Quinn from Sun Explorer and project manager Paul Durnien from Durnien.com.
High hopes for City centre streets PLANNING permission has been sought for a £50 million development project that will bring new life to the Castle Street/King Street area near Belfast city centre.
BY DAVID GORDON The project is led by developer Sun Explorer and consists of a landmark 26-storey building, 98 metres high. Designed specifically for an International hotelier, the striking glass façade will bring an exciting addition to the architectural landscape of the city centre’s previously neglected western gateway. The building will be called The Vetro - the Italian word for glass – and will provide much needed
construction jobs and around 300 full-time and part-time jobs. There will be 170 hotel bedrooms, 144 serviced apartments, and substantial leisure and conference facilities. The development could be completed within two years of planning approval being given. A planning application has recently been lodged with the Department of the Environment for this key corner/landmark site. Other partners in the project team include project manager Paul Durnien, of chartered surveyors Durnien.com and award-winning architect Colin Conn of BOX Architects. Paul Durnien, managing director of Durnien.com, said: “The development
will be a tremendous asset to a part of Belfast that has lacked inward investment in recent years. “The regeneration of this part of the city is a natural follow-on from the successful regeneration of the Laganside and
Cathedral Quarter areas. The building will be an iconic landmark and the presence of a prestigious hotel represents a significant long-term investment for the local area and city centre economy.”
Population to increase to 1.8m THE population of Northern Ireland is set to rise to 1.8 million by 2010 according to new statistics. Currently there are estimated to be 1.775 million people and the rise is set to continue at a healthy rate reaching as much as 1.9 million by 2019 with longer-term projections indicating that the population will reach two million by the early 2030s. The Annual Report of the Registrar General published by the Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) also showed that divorce statistics slowed, with 2,773 divorces granted in 2008 - a decrease of 140 divorces or five per cent from the 2007 figure of 2,913 divorces. The 2008 figure is the second highest on record after the 2007 figure which was the highest number of divorces ever recorded in Northern Ireland.