The list aims to celebrate ‘the most magical and important independent gigging institutions across the country’

A Belfast music hall has been named one of the greatest independent music venues in the UK by Time Out.

Time Out Magazine is a guide to the best art and entertainment, food and drink, attractions, hotels and things to do in the world’s greatest cities.

At a time when arts venues are struggling for funding and independent venues are being forced to shut their doors, the list aims to celebrate “the most magical and important independent gigging institutions across the country”.

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The iconic Empire Music Hall on Botanic Avenue in South Belfast is the only venue in Northern Ireland to be highlighted by Time Out, with it being highlighted for being “great craic”.

Time Out said: “With a truly stunning pink-red interior featuring velvet chairs, garish wallpaper, and a curtained stage, it’s no surprise that Belfast’s Empire Music Hall is great craic.

“Formerly a Presbyterian church (est. 1874), the venue was overhauled in 1987 and quickly became a central hub for live music and entertainment, welcoming local talents like The Divine Comedy in the ‘90s alongside legends like John Martyn and the Undertones.

“Today’s clientele includes ‘lecture dodging students, old regulars, and passing tourists’ – a mix as eclectic as the decor.”

Stephen Bradley, Entertainment Manager at the Empire Music Hall said: “It’s always nice to get recognition, but Time Out is a legend in terms of nightlife writing, so this means a lot.

“Just reading the Empire’s name alongside the legendary Barrowlands, Albert Hall and Rock City is a great reflection of the hard work our team have put in to keeping Belfast on the gigging map.”

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Nat Hardy’s exhibition, ISM – Art with Heart, is now open at Arts Centre Washington and explores her personal journey of addiction and recovery, capturing both the challenges and moments of beauty she has found along the way.

Ms Hardy, winner of the 2024 Spotlight Washington Open Exhibition, said: “I became an alcoholic about five years ago, but I’ve had an unhappy relationship with alcohol for much longer.

Artist Nat Hardy’s new exhibition, ISM – Art with Heart, at Arts Centre Washington explores her personal experiences of alcoholism and recovery through the 12-step programme, (Image: Supplied)

“My piece, The Journey, represents my experiences of using a 12-step programme for recovery.

“Each section chosen reflects my thoughts and feelings in my journey of recovery and how they relate to the 12 steps.

“The mountains and sky relate to future visions.”

A former social worker, Ms Hardy is now a self-taught artist working across multiple mediums including needle felting, wet felting, textiles, watercolours, acrylics and pastels.

Artist Nat Hardy’s new exhibition, ISM – Art with Heart, at Arts Centre Washington explores her personal experiences of alcoholism and recovery through the 12-step programme, (Image: Supplied)

In total, the exhibition features more than 30 pieces.

She describes making art as a therapeutic process.

She said: “I’m neurodiverse and can sometimes just feel overwhelmed.

“But when I’m working on my art, I don’t have to think, I’m in another, better world.

Artist Nat Hardy’s new exhibition, ISM – Art with Heart, at Arts Centre Washington explores her personal experiences of alcoholism and recovery through the 12-step programme, (Image: Supplied)

“There’s such a stigma about alcoholism – people think about brown paper bags and being passed out on a park bench, but it’s not like that.

“It took me to some very dark places, and I was hospitalised before starting my recovery.

“I’m just so grateful that I’m still here and enjoying what I’m doing.”

Colour and the natural world are both central themes in her work.

She said: “Colour plays a central role in my practice, and I am never more at peace than when I am creating.

“Art has supported me throughout my life, and now it forms an essential part of my recovery and self-expression.

“I am passionate about inspiring others to explore creativity, particularly those who believe they ‘can’t do art.’

“My practice runs alongside a 12-step programme, using art as a way to process, question, and make sense of difficult conversations around addiction, trauma, mental health, and healing.

“My work often carries layered meanings and quiet symbolism.

“Rather than offering fixed answers, I aim to create space for the viewer to ask questions and form their own interpretations.”

Matt Blyth, culture and heritage officer at Arts Centre Washington, praised the exhibition.

He said: “Nat’s artwork is stunning and we’re delighted to be hosting her exhibition.

“Her artwork reflects her personality – bold, brave and with great purpose.”

Nat Hardy: ISM – Art with Heart is on display in the main exhibition space at Arts Centre Washington until Saturday, June 6.

PUNTERS backed The Sun’s Save Our Bets campaign in a glorious day out at Hamilton Races.

We teamed up with Sky Bet to sponsor the 4.15 race and bring our bid to protect the punters directly to them.

The government wants to bring in new affordability checks and higher taxes for betting.

Those putting on a bet could soon face having to hand over a P60 or a payslip.

But the move risks putting the squeeze on Britain’s most beloved sports and driving people towards black-market gambler.

Jockey David Allan rode Red Spells Danger to victory in our sponsored race at Hamilton today.

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But after his triumph on the track the Irvine-born horseback champion, 43, backed our bid to stop the government from punishing the punters.

He said: “If the income starts disappearing from the betting side of it, then obviously income will start coming from racing.

“So it’s not going to be good for racing in the long run.

“And I’ve seen first-hand in India that not through affordability checks, but the government overtaxed the bets over there and the racecourses over there lost three quarters of their income within a week.

“It all went seriously downhill.

“Basically people are going to illegal bookmakers over there, and that’s what’s going to happen here if it carries on.

“If you’re going on the black market, then there’s no legal loophole, no legal way of getting your money. They can just decide not to pay, I suppose, if you’re gambling. But obviously we don’t know that side of the game.

“We’re just here to race. But the punters enjoy it, so hopefully they sort it out and it doesn’t happen and they can keep enjoying racing.

“It’s a sport that the British have now got all over the world. It’s all from racing that started here. So I definitely don’t want to see it go downhill. If anything, it should be going uphill.

“We don’t know the betting side of it, but we don’t want it to go downhill. We all love racing and the punters are the main people in the game. We’ll keep it afloat.”

So it’s bad times really if that does go ahead. So hopefully they sort it out and racing can get better.

And the public were on the same side as the jockey as they gave Save Our Bets their support.

Husband and wife Andrew and Helen McDowall have been coming to the races for 30 years and they reckon the new measures are a step too far.

Helen, 55, said: “I think something like this is very intrusive.

“What people do with their money is none of the government’s business.”

Con Togher, 66, travelled through from Clydebank for a day out at Hamilton and reckons the current system is safer for punters.

He said: “They are better off just leaving things alone. If it’s not broken then why fix it?

“We are already seeing betting shops close down. Putting a bet on isn’t a debt, but that’s not the same with these guys on the street.”

Pal James Watt, 76, added: “I just think things like this are really unfair on the people running the racecourses.”

Bookie John Hamilton fears the figures don’t add up and will only lead to a surge in dodgy bookies taking advantage of the public.

He said: “The government’s figures are ridiculous. They are talking about a cap of £200 each year but people spend more in coffee shops.

“It’s as if they want to check on us when we’re spending any money.

“I have been doing this for 60 years and I have never seen any issues. People come to the races for a day out and to bet responsibly.

“If these do come through then the black market will grow and people will start to really worry about the security of bets.

“I fully agree we should have GambleAware programs and support for people but these measures are far too strong and will chase people away from safe betting.”

Scottish Sun racing columnist Jim Delahunt gave the campaign his backing, adding: “Lots of punters here at Hamilton this afternoon and lots of punters obviously thinking ahead to these affordability checks that the government is threatening to bring in.

“I think most people in racing are pretty much against affordability checks. I certainly would be personally, it’s not something I ever want to do to hand over any personal information to bookmakers.

“I think most punters think the same and I think that’s a problem going forward for the government because if punters are driven away from legal bookmakers they are going to end up in the hands of illegal bookmakers and that’s something that the government surely doesn’t want.”

Celtic were crowned Scottish Premiership champions on the final day of the season after a 3-1 win against Hearts, but the celebrations were marred by fans storming the pitch

Celtic have publicly apologised to Hearts in the wake of the disorder that cast a shadow over Saturday’s thrilling title-deciding clash.

Martin O’Neill’s side battled to a 3-1 win to clinch the Premiership title by just two points ahead of the Jambos.

However, the victory was tainted when fans invaded the pitch following Callum Osmand’s late goal deep into stoppage time.

Hearts players, including skipper Lawrence Shankland, were reportedly attacked during the chaos, with the away side directed to head straight to their team coach still wearing their kit and make their way back to Edinburgh on the advice of police.

The SPFL confirmed that referee Don Robertson chose to complete the match rather than abandon it, though both O’Neill and opposing manager Derek McInnes appeared to be unaware of this call.

Police Scotland have launched a formal investigation and are currently in discussions with Hearts.

Celtic have pledged their full cooperation with the authorities, stressing that the scenes witnessed on the pitch were wholly unacceptable under any circumstances.

A club statement read: “Everyone at the Club congratulates Martin, our players and all our staff on delivering the club’s 56th Scottish league title and a thrilling climax to the season backed by a magnificent support.

“We thank Celtic fans for everything they have done to help the team over the line.

“The club regrets that our victory over Hearts was followed by a number of individuals entering the field of play.

“We again emphasise that there is no justification for this behaviour which, for the vast majority of Celtic supporters, only detracts from the joy of such occasions.

“Celtic will co-operate fully with any investigation and with the SPFL in their own processes.

“We also apologise to Hearts for the situation encountered by their players and staff at the conclusion of the game, and for the fact that these events prevented them from saluting their own supporters at the end of an enthralling campaign, to which they have contributed so much.”

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All four crew members ejected safely after two Navy jets collided and crashed on Sunday during an air show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho, officials said.

The collision involved two U.S. Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The aircraft were performing an aerial demonstration when the crash happened, Umayam said in a statement. The four crew members from both jets safely ejected and the crash was under investigation, she said.

The crew members were in stable condition, base officials said.

Nobody at the military base was hurt, said Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show.

“Everyone is safe and I think that’s the most important thing,” Sykes said.

The base said in a social media post that it was locked down immediately following the incident. The remainder of the air show was canceled.

Videos posted online by spectators showed four parachutes opening in the sky as the aircraft plummet to the ground near the base about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Boise.

The EA-18G Growler is a variant of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet with sophisticated electronic warfare systems.

Shane Ogden said he was filming the two jets as they came close together. A video he captured shows the two aircraft appear to make contact and then spin in tandem as the crew members eject and their parachutes open. The planes then fall together, exploding into a fireball upon impact as the crew members drop to the ground nearby.

“I was just filming thinking they were going to split apart and that happened and I filmed the rest,” Ogden said in a text message. He said he left soon after the crash because he did not want to get in the way of emergency responders.

Organizers said the popular air show that includes flying demonstrations and parachute jumps is a celebration of aviation history and a look at modern military capabilities. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron headlined the show both days.

The National Weather Service reported good visibility and winds gusting up to 29 mph (47 kph) around the time of the crash.

Aviation safety expert John Cox, who is CEO of Safety Operating Systems, said the pilots who perform at air shows are among the best, but there is little room for error.

“Air show flying is demanding. It has very little tolerance,” Cox said. “The people who do it are very good and it’s a small margin for error. I’m glad everybody was able to get out.”

This year’s Gunfighter Skies event was the first at the base since 2018, when a hang glider died in a crash during an air show performance.

In 2003, a Thunderbirds aircraft crashed while attempting a maneuver. The pilot, who was not hurt, was able to steer the plane away from the crowd and eject less than a second before it hit the ground.

The air show industry has been working to improve safety for years at the roughly 200 events held each year in the U.S. The last fatal crash at an air show came in 2022 when two vintage military planes collided at an event in Dallas and killed six people.

John Cudahy, president and CEO of the International Council of Air Shows, said that there used to be an average of about two deaths a year at a U.S. air show. But over the past decade, the average has been closer to one death per year, he said. There were no air show deaths in 2025 or 2024, and a spectator hasn’t been killed at an air show since 1952.

“Safety wise we’ve enjoyed really an unprecedented term of few accidents,” Cudahy said.

Investigators may be able to quickly get an idea of what happened in Sunday’s crash because the crews of both planes survived and will be able to tell investigators what they saw and experienced before the collision.

The Iran war has led to the cancellation of about 10 air shows this year at bases where military units are flying missions related to the conflict. But most air shows have been able to continue as planned.

___

Brown reported from Billings, Montana. Associated Press writers Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.

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The Eagle and Child, on Whalley Road, asked Bury Council for lawful consent to install the large structure in its outdoor seating area.

Planning papers said it is similar to a cabin and can be “erected and taken down within a day”.

Drawings show the upgrade will be metal, have windows, and is listed as a “flat pack” facility.

The planning documents say: “Lawful development certificate for proposed provision of a moveable structure within the pub beer garden.

“The moveable structure is less than 50 sq m in size and does not exceed two metres in height. It is not within two metres of a boundary with a residential property.

“The structure is not fixed to the ground but held in place by its own weight. The structure can be erected and taken down within the day.”

No further details were set out about the purpose of the structure when plans were first submitted in April.

Thwaites, which runs the venue, was contacted for more information last month but did not provide a statement.

However, Bury Council has now approved the application in a decision posted on May 14.

In its assessment, the council said: “The proposed structure will not be fixed to the ground in any way but sited on the existing flagged patio and held in place by its own weight.

“It is therefore not physically attached to anything and is therefore by definition ‘moveable’ in planning terms.

“With regards to its assembly, the structure comes flat-packed and in a series of pieces.

“It is then slotted and bolted together on site. Both its assembly and dismantling can be completed in a day.

“With regard to the information submitted, the proposed structure meets the planning definition of a ‘moveable structure’ based on the tests established in case law and planning appeals.”

Things could clear up as we head towards the Bank Holiday Weekend

We may be heading towards another Spring Bank Holiday weekend, however, the weather forecast shows the rain isn’t going away just yet.

According to the Met Office, while this week may be generally drier and brighter than the weekend, the odd shower can be expected across the country.

The forecaster has said clearer skies could lead to “mist or fog” patches when we wake up on Monday morning but showers will ease through the country in the afternoon with “more hazy sunshine” ahead of the incoming weather front.

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This is what the Met Office has forecast for Northern Ireland

Monday

Patchy mist and fog quickly clearing first thing.

Otherwise largely dry with sunny spells, but turning cloudier through the afternoon ahead of evening rain setting in. Maximum temperature 14C.

Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday

Frequent showers on Tuesday, often heavy. Generally drier and brighter on Wednesday and Thursday, but still the odd spot of rain possible.

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National Highways has issued a major update this evening, adding that a large amount of fuel spilled across the carriagway due to a single-vehicle crash.

The update read: “The M62 in Greater Manchester is closed eastbound between J21 (Milnrow) and J22 (Denshaw) due to a single vehicle collision which occurred shortly before 21:00 on 17th May.

“As a result of the collision, a large amount of fuel has spilled across the carriageway.

“Emergency services are in attendance, along with National Highways Traffic Officers who are assisting with traffic management.

“Traffic caught within the closure is in the process of being released past the scene of the incident on the hard shoulder.

“Service providers are in attendance to assist with the clean up of the carriageway and recovery services are also in attendance to recover the vehicle involved. “