It has been named best in NI for the last three years

The National Restaurant Awards has named its top restaurant in Northern Ireland for 2026.

Described as the “definitive guide to the UK’s best restaurants”, the awards celebrate the brilliance and vibrancy of the UK restaurant scene and honour the best chefs and operators across the country.

An annual countdown of the top 100 restaurants in the UK, the National Restaurant Awards are voted for by the UK’s leading chefs, restaurateurs and food writers.

For the third year in a row, The Muddlers Club in Belfast has made the top 100 and therefore been hailed as the ‘Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland’ this year.

It is once again the only spot in Northern Ireland to feature on the list, ranking at number 90.

Here is what the National Restuarant Awards had to say about The Muddlers Club:

There’s plenty of history to be found at this trendy fine dining restaurant. Inconspicuously tucked away in the back streets of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, The Muddlers Club is named after a revolutionary secret society linked to the United Irishmen who met there more than 200 years ago. Its setting may be historic, but there’s nothing archaic about this contemporary bistro and cocktail bar. One of a handful of more radical restaurants to have opened in the Northern Ireland capital in the last decade, The Muddlers Club eschews the conventional formality of fine dining in favour of a more casual approach that combines high-quality cooking with a modernist interior that features atmospheric lighting, a moody colour palette and a buzzy open kitchen. Leading the kitchen is head chef and owner Gareth McCaughey, who originally trained as a pastry chef and previously spent two years as sous chef at Belfast’s Michelin-starred OX restaurant.

With an emphasis of good, local ingredients, McCaughey hand picks the best of home grown produce daily to ensure the quality of each dish served across the restaurant’s multi-course tasting menu. The cooking is deceptively simple with punchy flavours and beautiful presentation, and it’s complemented by an impressive drinks list that’s influenced by Northern Ireland-based producers and makers – meaning a strong focus on local beer. Since opening its doors back in 2015, The Muddlers Club has won numerous accolades including a commendation in the Irish Food and Wine Awards 2018. It’s not hard to understand why, this is edgy and exciting dining that’s impossible to ignore.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter

The BBC has confirmed the return of Ludwig, the detective series starring David Mitchell, and fans are delighted

The BBC has revealed an exciting update on a detective series that fans have branded “better than Death in Paradise and Vera”. Series 2 of Ludwig is set to make its return later this year.

The BBC confirmed the comeback of the show, widely hailed as a “masterpiece”, in an official statement: “The UK’s most-watched new comedy title since 2018 returns for a second series on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this summer and will pick up with master puzzle-setter and Crime Scene Consultant John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor (David Mitchell) solving ‘impossible’ crimes for the Cambridge Police Authority.

“Anna Maxwell Martin returns as Lucy, John’s sister-in-law and wife of his missing brother James – another puzzle that needs solving and a husband and father that needs to be brought home.”

Crime drama enthusiasts were delighted by the announcement and flocked to social media to express their excitement, with one writing on Instagram, “The best news”. “I AM SO READY,” another penned while a third added, “Oh so so so SO good,” reports the Express.

Advertisement

Another enthused, “Woot! If I could quit my job today and become a puzzle consultant, I absolutely would.” Since the first series launched, viewers have been vocal online, with many drawing comparisons to other detective dramas. Some have declared it superior to the likes of Vera, Midsomer Murders, and Death in Paradise.

On Reddit, one fan remarked, “Hello. Just want to say I really enjoyed this TV show im a big fan of David Mitchell, although I’m not sure we’d agree politically on everything, but this show was great.

“Sure, it’s a little contrived, but it’s fun and so much better than Midsomer Murders. Loved the music too, really hope they do a second series.”

Advertisement

On a separate Reddit thread, one enthusiastic viewer drew comparisons between the show and Death in Paradise and Professor T. They wrote, “The revealing of the murderer is the same as Death in Paradise and its spin-offs. I was so confused about how DCI Taylor cracked the case with its complex method. It is so intriguing with the whole puzzle-style of crime solving. The background case involving his twin brother’s disappearance is a mystery as well. The whole series is like a combination of Professor T and Numbers (US series).”

Another remarked, “I got the vibe that the lead detective(both twins) is similar to Professor T, Richard Poole in DIP, and DI Mackenzie Clarke in Return to Paradise(Australia Spin-off).”

While a third contributed, “I think it is actually better than Death in Paradise.” Yet another viewer ventured, “Similar to Vera?” to which a fellow viewer responded, “Better!”

Series one of Ludwig is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Scots have quipped that Boston and Glasgow now have a “special cone-ection” after the funny move.

The Tartan Army have brought Scottish humour to the US by propping a traffic cone on a Boston statue in tribute to the iconic Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow.

Scotland fans are currently swarming the Massachussetts capital ahead of the World Cup opening match against Haiti which gets underway at 2pm BST on June 14.

Supporters have been praised for their good-humoured antics in the host city so far – including persuading a cop to do keepy-uppies in the middle of a fan zone – but it seems they are now turning their attention to city figurines.

A photo being shared online shows a statue with a traffic cone placed on its head, in ode to the Duke of Wellington statue – one of Glasgow’s most infamous landmarks – situated outside the Gallery of Modern Art.

The US statue depicts Raymond Flynn, the former mayor of Boston. It is not clear who exactly was responsible for the crowning, but social media has erupted with comments from amused Scotland fans from across the world.

One Scot commented: “That’s it. Boston is officially twinned with Glasgow forever. May the cone hat never be removed from this day forward,” while a second joked: “We came we saw we cone’quered”.

Another quipped: “Glasgow and Boston now have a special cone-ection,” while a fourth said: “The highest of honours, America. Just roll with it,” and a fifth scribed: “I’m howling. This is hilarious. We leave our mark everywhere”.

A sixth proudly added: “A true mark of friendship if ever there was one. Boston is now “twinned” (unofficially) with Glasgow.”

Glaswegians have capped the Duke of Wellington statue outside the Gallery of Modern Art with a traffic cone for decades. The tradition is thought to have been started by late night revellers in the 1980s.

Attempts to free the Duke of his plastic hat over the years have quickly been thwarted, with the cone being replaced within days. Proud locals believe the cone showcases the best of Glaswegians’ sense of humour.

The cone hat image of the Wellington monument has previously been named by Lonely Planet as one of 10 Scottish inclusions in a list of the top 1,000 sights in the world.

Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, is famous for defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and later becoming prime minister.

The statue of the Duke on his favourite horse Copenhagen was sculpted by Italian artist Carlo Marochetti and erected in 1844. It is a Category A listed sculpture.

Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the world cup. Click HERE.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

The singer posted a video of himself jetting to see Scotland take on Haiti hours after axing a gig due to ill health.

Rod Stewart has flown to Boston on a private jet to support Scotland in the World Cup. The singer posted a video on board the aircraft this evening where he told his 1.7m followers that he’s off to the US to support the squad.

The Maggie May chanter appeared in the clip alongside his son Alastair and was dressed in a white shirt and trousers and a blue blazer as he spoke excitedly about watching Steve Clarke’s men take on Haiti tonight.

The opening match kicks off at 2am BST on June 14 in the Massachusetts city. The 81-year-old, whose dad was Scottish and who is a devoted Scotland national team and Celtic fan, also shared his hopes for Scotland qualifying.

He said: “Here we are flying off to Boston to see Scotland in the World Cup. It’s been 28 years so these kids.. I’ve told them about [it] but they’ve never been…

“I’ve been to seven World Cups. Argentina, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, loads of them… this’ll be my seventh. We want them to get through to the next round and I’ll die a happy man. Come on, Scotland.”

It comes after the rocker pulled out of a gig in California last night just before he was due on stage after being struck down by illness.

The artist was due to perform in The Sunshine State as part of his One Last Time tour, but after travelling to the venue was forced to cancel the entire show.

A statement from his team broke the news to fans on Instagram. It read: “Rod Stewart very regretfully has had to cancel his show tonight in Chula Vista, California.

“He travelled to the venue and made every effort to perform, but on the advice of his doctors and following a diagnosis of an acute upper respiratory infection that has resulted in laryngitis, he is unable to take to the stage this evening.”

Rod later shared a photo of himself looking glum on stage as he revealed how close he’d come to making the performance.

He wrote: “Well here I am in beautiful Chula Vista as the stage is being taken down around me. Following treatment, I’m feeling much better, but my voice is not.

“I’m very disappointed and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans. I did everything I could to make the show happen tonight, but unfortunately it just wasn’t possible. I will do my utmost to reschedule.”

Rod’s next gig is at the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in Colorado on June 15, giving him a few days to recover.

Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the world cup. Click HERE.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

The passengers were removed by police

A Ryanair flight from Manchester Airport had to be diverted due to ‘disruptive’ passengers.

The plane, which left Manchester on Wednesday (June 10), was bound for the popular Spanish holiday island of Tenerife when the captain decided to divert to Faro, in Portugal’s Algarve.

The airline said two passengers ‘became disruptive onboard.’ Portuguese police were called in and removed the passengers in Faro, they added.

Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter

A video posted on social media showed two men stood in the aisle of a Ryanair aircraft. One could heard shouting ‘I’m here for dressing up, I’m dressing down’ as he danced and marched down the aisle.

He was pelted with abuse by some passengers who pleaded with him to sit down.

He then appeared to be tripped up by a fellow passenger as he came back the other way, prompting a flurry of laughter.

The man briefly sits down before jumping up again as the video ends.

“Great flight to Tenerife yesterday – had to redirect to Faro to drop off these 2 k*******s” the fellow passenger who posted it said.

A Ryanair spokesperson said: “This flight from Manchester to Tenerife South (10 June) diverted to Faro after two passengers became disruptive onboard.

“Crew called ahead for police assistance, who met the aircraft upon arrival at Faro Airport, and removed these disruptive passengers before this flight continued to Tenerife.

“Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a respectful and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption.”

Armed officers flooded into the Haywood Mall in Greenville, South Carolina

Advertisement

Multiple people have been injured following a shooting at a shopping centre in the US.

The Haywood Mall in Greenville, South Carolina saw a massive armed police response on Saturday afternoon following reports of gunfire echoing through the building.

Panicked shoppers were forced to flee as emergency services flooded the area. The Greenville Police Department confirmed that officers were on the scene dealing with the unfolding incident.

According to officials, at least two people suffering from gunshot wounds were reportedly discovered inside the mall.

Armed officers are now working alongside deputies from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office in a bid to clear the building and ensure public safety.

A police spokesperson confirmed that a number of people have already been detained in connection with the incident, reports The Mirror.

READ MORE: ‘Lying in hospital fighting for my life, I didn’t realise how close I came to dying’

READ MORE: Belfast says no to racism as thousands attend rally at City Hall after days of disorder

Thankfully, no further shots have been fired since the first wave of officers arrived at the scene.

The shopping hub has been placed on strict lockdown, with all access restricted to the public. The conditions of the victims have not yet been released.

Police have revealed that a preliminary investigation indicates a dispute boiled over and turned into a shooting, confirming that it was not a random attack.

The Greenville Police Department confirmed that two victims have been taken to the hospital and that several people have been detained.

Officers are working to clear the mall with help from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, Fox Carolina said.

The ongoing saga of the Beckham family rift took another turn this week, as Harper was left standing on her brother’s doorstep

Brooklyn Beckham has offered an explanation after he failed to answer the door when his sister came to visit.

The whole Beckham clan was in Los Angeles, as Sir David was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Just a short drive away from Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street is where brother Brooklyn and his wife, Nicola Peltz-Beckham, live and Harper, the family’s youngest child, attempted to visit her older brother at his home.

However, attempts at a reconciliation fell flat as Brooklyn and his wife, Nicola Peltz, were nowhere to be seen, and the youngest Beckham did not go inside.

Now Brooklyn appears to have explained why he didn’t answer the door to his younger sister.

Taking to Instagram just hours after, he re-shared a post on his Instagram Story, showing him out for a run around New York – meaning he is miles away from his Californian home.

For years, the Beckhams have been plagued by family rifts, with wannabe chef Brooklyn snubbing his family.

Earlier this year, Brooklyn famously slammed his family, alleging that they had attempted to “ruin” his relationship with Nicola.

He also stated on his Instagram page that he had no desire to rekindle his relationship with his family and had instructed his parents to contact him only through lawyers.

But in a bid to heal the rift, Harper was seen arriving at Brooklyn’s home not long after the ceremony in Hollywood.

In pictures obtained by Page Six, Harper was seen walking to the gates alone, still wearing her pink silk dress from the ceremony. Insiders said Harper arrived ‘unannounced’ and she was the only one of the family to make the trip.

A spokesperson for Brooklyn told Page Six: “That photographers were in place as the letter was hand-delivered says it all — this was choreographed for the cameras.”

READ MORE: Tartan Army send rallying cry to national team ahead of opening match against Haiti

READ MORE: Susan Boyle sends ‘No Scotland No Party’ message of support to World Cup team

The Mirror reported how Brooklyn has struggled to keep a relationship with his sister while the row with his parents rumbled on. The 27-year-old is currently not talking to David and Victoria, or his brothers Cruz and Romeo, all of whom he has blocked on social media.

However, the situation is “very different” when it comes to his 14-year-old sister, who it’s understood Brooklyn has tried to shield from the family fallout.

But a source admits that the “fundamental logistics of his little sister living under the same roof as his parents…. makes things very hard, contact-wise”, and the two are not as close as they once were.

Brooklyn’s distance from his family only deepens further, as he didn’t make time for his father’s Walk of Fame celebrations earlier on Friday. In an interview prior to the ceremony, David refused to discuss the feud with Variety.

He said: “To be honest, I’m sorry to stop you there, but that’s a private matter. That’s the one thing that I don’t want to talk about.”

Earlier this year, Brooklyn furiously said: “I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life,” following claims he was being controlled by his wife.

Last month, Raducanu reunited with Andrew Richardson, who worked with her during her fairytale run in New York five years ago, when she entered the tournament as a qualifier and left with the trophy.

Since that moment, her career has been plagued with injury and fitness issues including surgery on both wrists and an ankle, and most recently the after-effects of a viral illness that she contracted ahead of the W250 final in Cluj in February.

The clay season might not have gone to plan with first-round exits in Strasbourg and Roland Garros but Raducanu’s attacking game is more suited to grass, and she showed the best of it in west London.

As she wrote “Made it to Sunday, Funday!” on the camera to sign off reaching the final, it was clear how much this moment meant to her.

“Any Brit would love to win the title here,” she said. “Me and my team have stuck together through some tough moments the last few months so I would like to thank them for getting me through.”

The World Cup 2026 match between Switzerland and Qatar played out in front of hundreds of empty seats to raise further questions about Fifa’s ticket prices for the tournament.

The Group B clash at the 70,000-capacity Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco on Saturday was the first game to be staged in the United States not involving the co-hosts and it failed to sell out.

While the fixture was always unlikely to be considered ‘in-demand’, pockets of empty seats could be seen clearly throughout the stadium. A 12pm kick-off local time and sweltering temperatures won’t have helped, with Fifa’s go-to excuse of fans being on the concourses rather in their seats potentially having some validity.

Tickets remained on sale in the hours before kick-off, although Fifa’s own ticketing website displayed a ‘limited availability’ message when entering the portal on Saturday.

The cheapest tickets on sale were for $450 in the Category 1 tier and were located in the lower-bowl of Levi’s Stadium and towards the corners.

There were thousands of empty seats in just the second match of the tournament between South Korea and Czech Republic in Guadalajara on Thursday evening. There were also some empty seats at Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.

Fifa, meanwhile, released a statement defending the swathes of empty seats in South Korea’s opening-day win against the Czech Republic by insisting that some fans “stood in concourses rather than in their assigned seat.”

“Official attendance figures reflect the number of tickets scanned and spectators present within the stadium footprint, rather than visual assessments of seating occupancy at any given moment during the match,” a Fifa spokesperson said.

“Fifa works closely with stadium authorities and ticketing teams to ensure all published figures are based on verified operational data. Please note that, during last night’s match in Guadalajara, several ticketed fans could be seen standing in concourses rather than staying in their assigned seats throughout the match.”

Only 29 matches had sold out before the start of the World Cup on Thursday, with tickets still available on Fifa’s ticketing website for 75 matches in the days before the opening match, despite Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s claim that demand has been “unprecedented”.

It comes as ticketing practices for the 2026 World Cup are to be investigated by chief legal officers in the United States. The attorneys generals of New York and New Jersey insist Fifa must answer questions after allegations of “artificially inflating prices” and “misleading fans” over the sale of match tickets, with world football’s governing body subpoenaed to provide information.

Supporters have reported they were “misled” about the location of seats, including through the creation of more expensive ‘front’ category tickets released after the initial sales.

It is also alleged variable pricing through various phases and subject to demand had allowed Fifa to raise prices for about 90 of the 104 fixtures by an average of 34 per cent. Fifa has also been able to hold back seats before releasing them later, driving up pricing by increasing scarcity.

Infantino defended the price of World Cup tickets on the eve of the tournament, pointing towards the exorbitant cost of attending play-off matches in US sports, such as the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, and stating the World Cup is a bigger event.

The pricing of the World Cup has been a hugely controversial issue since tickets were first released in November, with the initial sales drop revealing £3,000 tickets for the World Cup final and fans with a £5,000 bill to follow their teams right through to the final. The 2026 World Cup is estimated to be up to five times more expensive than the last World Cup in Qatar, with Infantino targeting unprecedented revenues of $13bn from the tournament.

Many first-time visitors say “Rus-warp” when referring to the village, but locals know the correct pronunciation is actually “Russ-up”, with the “w” remaining completely silent.

Located less than two miles from Whitby, Ruswarp has become a destination in its own right, attracting walkers, cyclists and families looking for a quieter alternative to its famous coastal neighbour.

Ruswarp (Image: ALL TRAILS)

Often described by visitors as a “hidden gem”, “peaceful” and “far less crowded than Whitby”, the village combines railway heritage, scenic countryside and riverside charm.

One of Ruswarp’s most recognisable landmarks dominates the skyline.

Stretching across the River Esk valley is the village’s impressive railway viaduct, a 120ft-high structure built from more than five million bricks.

Constructed to carry trains on the Scarborough-to-Whitby railway line, the viaduct remains one of the most striking sights in the area.

Although the railway closed in 1965, the route has found a new lease of life as The Cinder Track, a popular walking and cycling trail connecting Whitby and Scarborough.

Visitors regularly describe the viaduct as one of the highlights of a trip to Ruswarp.

But Ruswarp’s appeal extends beyond its railway history.

Despite being only minutes from one of Yorkshire’s busiest tourist destinations, Ruswarp has retained much of its village character.

Visitors often comment on the slower pace of life, with independent businesses such as Jackson’s of Ruswarp, Colin Duck Grocer and the Bridge Inn helping to maintain its traditional feel.

The village’s railway station, served by the Esk Valley Line, continues a transport connection that has shaped Ruswarp for generations, linking it with Whitby, Middlesbrough and communities across the Esk Valley.

Many online reviews describe Ruswarp as the perfect base for exploring the North Yorkshire coast, offering easy access to Whitby while avoiding some of the crowds.

One visitor wrote: “It’s got everything you need for a day out – river walks, history, great views and somewhere to relax afterwards.”

And while visitors may still occasionally get its name wrong, those who discover “Russ-up” often find themselves returning again and again.