EXCLUSIVE: Four chefs weighed in on the long-standing debate over whether mayonnaise should be stored in the fridge or the cupboard – and they all reached the same verdict

From sandwiches to chips, mayonnaise pairs well with a wide range of foods thanks to its rich, creamy texture and slight tang. But it continues to spark confusion over where it should be stored once opened.

Sharing their professional insight, chefs Mike Reid, Jeremy Pang and Nima Safaei, along with registered nutritionist and Recipe Development Manager at Green Chef, Lily Keeling, all reached the same verdict.

The group previously explained to us the best place to store another condiment favourite – ketchup. And, again, they reached the same verdict when it came to mayonnaise.

Speaking exclusively to us, Jeremy said: “Mayo – a definitely no go outside of the fridge! My kids call it ‘egg sauce’ and you wouldn’t just leave 1/2 cracked raw eggs lying around in a cupboard.”

Agreeing with his fellow chef, Mike also said the fridge is the best place to store mayonnaise once it has been opened.

“Mayo – the one everyone panics about for entirely the wrong reasons. Shop-bought and unopened? Cupboard, genuinely — it’s sold off a shelf, not a chiller,” he shared.

“Once opened, fridge. Homemade, with raw yolks, is the only one to be strict about, fridge, and eat within a couple of days. And that classic ‘the mayo turned at the picnic’ line is a myth — it’s far too acidic for bugs to enjoy.

“Nine times out of ten it’s the chicken cooking in the sun next to it that gets you, not the mayo,” he continued.

According to Nima, mayonnaise “should always be refrigerated after opening, regardless of whether it’s homemade or shop-bought”.

Echoing Jeremy and Mike’s advice, he said that because the condiment is egg-based, it’s best to keep it “consistently cold for both quality and food safety”.

Nima also issued a warning for anyone leaving mayonnaise out during a barbecue.

“One mistake people make is leaving the jar out on the table throughout a barbecue or family meal,” he explained.

“If mayonnaise sits at room temperature for too long, particularly on a hot day, it’s best to discard any leftovers rather than return them to the fridge.

“I’d also recommend buying a smaller jar if you don’t use it often – you’ll finish it while it’s still at its best instead of having it linger in the back of the fridge for months,” he added.

Registered Nutritionist and Recipe Development Manager at Green Chef, Lily Keeling, said: “Mayo is one I’d always keep in the fridge once it’s been opened. When unopened, it’s fine in a cupboard, but I always keep it in the fridge.

“It’s made with mostly eggs and oil, and can lose its freshness if it’s left out at room temperature for too long.”

What Hellmann’s says

Arguably the world’s best-known mayonnaise brand, Hellmann’s also advises refrigerating the condiment after opening.

Its storage guidance reads:

Before opening: Keep unopened jars of mayonnaise in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or cupboard, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. This prevents premature spoilage and maintains quality.

Once opened: Immediately refrigerate mayonnaise after opening. Store it in the refrigerator door, as cold spots in the main body of the fridge could cause your mayo to freeze. You should always avoid freezing mayonnaise, as this will cause the emulsion to break, leading to a separated, oily, and unappealing texture.

Don’t leave it out at room temperature: The general rule is that mayonnaise should not be left out for longer than four hours.

Use clean utensils: Always use clean utensils when scooping mayonnaise from the jar. Crumbs or other food particles can introduce bacteria or other microbiomes, speeding up spoilage.

Heinz also told us: “Our mayonnaise is the same storage as the ketchup, once opened this has to be kept in the fridge. This is printed on both our ketchup and mayonnaise bottles.”

Louise Redknapp has reportedly ‘split from her boyfriend Drew Michael after two years together.’

The singer, 51, and business leader, 42, had been dating since October 2023 and appeared to have gone from strength to strength.

The singer moved on with Drew after her split from Jamie Redknapp in 2017 after 19 years of marriage. They share two children together Charlie, 20, and William, 16.

But on Monday, it was revealed that the pair have called time on the relationship and he is believed to have left the UK, according to The Sun. 

Despite the split, friends have insisted she is thriving and has been living it up on girls’ trips in Ibiza. A source told the publication: ‘Louise and Drew decided to end things a little while ago.

‘Things had been really good between them but it felt like their relationship had run its course and they both thought it was best to move on.

The singer, 51, and business leader, 42, had been dating since October 2023 and appeared to have gone from strength to strength (pictured in July at Wimbledon)

‘It was all very amicable and although it’s never fun when a relationship ends, Louise has thrown herself back into her social life and her busy work schedule.’

According to the source, Drew is thought to have moved abroad for work, so it’s been a clean break.

The Daily Mail has contacted Louise’s representatives for comment. 

It comes after the singer revealed if there were wedding bells on the horizon with her younger boyfriend.

In an interview last year, she gushed over her partner after her tough marriage breakdown and spoken candidly about their future plans.

She told The Sun: ‘Drew’s great. We’re having a lovely time together. It took me a long time to get to that place and be open about anything.

‘I was very guarded and scared. But I’m really enjoying having special times with someone. He’s a great guy and super-kind.’

Asked if there are wedding bells on the horizon, she added: ‘Oh, I’m not even thinking that far ahead. I’m not even going there.

Louise and ex Jamie split  in 2017 after 20 years of marriage

‘I just want to be proud of this and I want to really enjoy it. I’ve met a really great guy and I’m really happy. But you never know what the future holds.’

She added in the interview that her two sons really get on well with Drew which makes life much easier.

Louise also hit back at ‘toyboy’ criticism due to their nine-year age gap.

She said being branded a ‘cougar’ is ‘water off a duck’s back’ to her and that ‘age is irrelevant’ as she doesn’t ‘feel older than him’.

The interview comes after she revealed why she was painted as the ‘villain’ following her split from ex-husband Jamie.

Louise opened up about being accused of walking out on her family and how everyone had an ‘opinion’.

She told the Independent: ‘I was the villain. I’d been lucky in my career because for many years I didn’t really have a lot of scrutiny. Then bang, everybody’s got an opinion.’

‘Anything someone could perceive as negative, I cut out. Nothing I said was right. To defend myself was wrong. To not defend myself was wrong. I felt like I was walking up a one-way street with just nowhere to go on it.’

Elsewhere Louise said she is now ready to push out of her comfort zone and she even features a number of ‘sex noises’ in her new single.

She is preparing to release a new album Confessions and is really adamant about making ‘progressive music’ instead of being ‘nostalgic’.

Louise said she doesn’t care what people think despite friends questioning whether there are ‘too many sex noises’ in her new track Get Into It, which features moans of ecstasy.

Speaking about co-writer Jon Shave, who worked on Charli XCX’s album Brat, she said: ‘I got a text from Jon asking, “Are there too many sex noises on this?”. And I was like, “Jon, there can never be too many sex noises!”

‘I’ve had a lot of feedback like that. And I do understand it. I’ve always kept in my lane, done what people expected. Now I’m saying, ‘f*** it!’

It came after Louise discussed her divorce from Jamie on the Happy Place podcast and credited her two sons for keeping her going during the breakup.

She said: ‘If I didn’t have my kids, I think I would’ve just given up. I think I just knew that my kids were my everything and they needed me.’

The singer admitted that the public scrutiny of her marriage breakdown made the situation even harder to deal with.

She added: ‘But I can honestly say, when you’re going through something so personal in your own turmoil in your own way, but then to get the barrage of judgment and nastiness.

‘I never realised people could be so unkind and say such terrible things. It blew my mind.’

‘I was going through a lot as it was, I was trying to be strong for my kids, whatever had gone on in our life was private – which I do believe that you’re entitled to no matter what.

‘And God, I was such a villain, and I was breaking like I was absolutely breaking.

‘Beyond what I thought it was possible for a human to break and all along I’m still trying to be a mum.

‘And it was just like every time I went out, and I was trying to put a brave face on and do things, like that was wrong if I didn’t.

‘I felt like everything I did was so wrong.’

Following the split, Jamie found love with Swedish model Frida Andersson and they tied the knot in 2021 before having a son together.

A developer wants to bring new businesses and up to 120 new homes to a Cambridgeshire town

A Cambridgeshire town area could get a “new life” under new proposals, according to a developer. Capital and Centric said it has “big plans” for the old cattle market square and gatehouse in St Ives.

The developer says it is working with Huntingdonshire District Council to “transform” part of St Ives with new homes, resident amenities such as a gym, and green spaces. A Capital and Centric spokesperson said: “We’re working with Huntingdonshire District Council to breathe new life into the old cattle market square and gatehouse in St Ives.

“With strong commuter links to Cambridge, St Ives is the perfect place to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life while staying well connected to the city. Our vision is to transform this area of St Ives with thoughtfully designed contemporary homes, alongside resident amenities and green spaces that complement the town’s rich heritage and historic character.”

The area is currently home to a bus station and car park. The developer seeks to build up to 120 new homes alongside resident “perks” such as a gym and co-working space.

Other proposals include wild landscaping and green space, which could be surrounded by walking and pedestrian routes to connect the new neighbourhood with the rest of the community.

The developer added that if approved, the proposals would create a “spill out space” filled with bars, cafes and restaurants, to “encourage the community to come together”. The new neighbourhood would also see “bold architecture that complements the existing facades in the town”, according to planning documents.

Capital and Centric is seeking people’s opinions on the proposals before they submit a planning application towards the end of the year. People are asked to share their views here before September 4.

The same developer has also proposed “big plans” for two other Cambridgeshire towns. If approved, a current bus station and car park on Princes Street in Huntingdon will be transformed into a “vibrant new gateway neighbourhood” with up to 78 new homes.

The proposals for St Neots would see the car park on Tebbutts Road transformed. The development would include a community pavilion, up to 83 new homes and a walled garden.

DOTHAN, Ala. (AP) — Republicans aiming to flip Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District after redrawing the heavily Black district in their favor will pick their nominee Tuesday to challenge U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, the Democratic incumbent who is seeking a second term despite the political headwinds.

The district is one of several Democratic-leaning districts across the South that were reshaped to favor Republicans following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that severely weakened the Voting Rights Act. The race could help determine the balance of power in the House as Republicans try to hold on to a slim majority in November’s midterms. Both parties have put the district on their priority list.

“We need to win this seat back for the state and for the country. We need to turn it red again,” said state Rep. Rhett Marques, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump in the GOP primary.

Six Republicans are competing to challenge Figures, who is unopposed. Voters also will select nominees in three other Alabama districts affected by the Republicans’ redraw.

Democrat Terri Sewell, Alabama’s other Black representative, is unopposed and is expected to keep her 7th Congressional District seat in the fall.

Figures made history two years ago

Figures won the seat in 2024 after years of litigation under the Voting Rights Act. A federal court redrew the reliably red district after ruling that the GOP-controlled Legislature intentionally diluted the voting power of Black residents, who make up 27% of Alabama’s population.

The court said there should be a second Alabama district where Black people are a majority or near-majority. Figures’ election gave the state, for the first time in its history, two Black representatives. They’re the only Democrats in Alabama’s seven-member congressional delegation.

In April, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a majority-Black district in Louisiana as an unconstitutional gerrymander that relied too heavily on race. Alabama Republicans, like those in other Southern states, seized on the decision.

Seeking to implement a map previously drawn by the Legislature, lawmakers approved legislation to nullify the results of ongoing primaries and instead authorize Tuesday’s special primary elections. The Supreme Court in June granted Alabama permission to switch maps.

Six candidates are vying to reclaim a seat that had been reliably red

During a recent forum in Dothan, in the far southeastern corner of the state, the GOP candidates answered questions about the Iran war, data centers and the district’s needs. But much of the attention was on the general election.

“Shomari is going to have the money. He is going to have the opportunity to keep this district. If we get out to vote, we can win it, and we can take this seat back for the Republicans,” Marques said.

“It’s important to get out there and make your voices heard and be represented up in D.C.,” said candidate Hampton Harris, a lawyer.

Christian Horn, a business owner and the lone Black in the race, said Republicans need a candidate who can compete across the district, not just in traditional GOP communities. David Matthews, a former Trump appointee in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Joshua McKee, a former U.S. Army Green Beret, and former Marine James Richardson are also running.

Tom Heisner, a 79-year-old retired air traffic controller who attended the forum, said the GOP is more aligned with his views on border control and other issues.

“I’m fairly confident it will go Republican around here,” he said of the Dothan region. “I’m not so sure up in Montgomery.”

The district was reshaped this year

When Figures won the district, it stretched from his hometown of Mobile across the state’s Black Belt region and to the Georgia border.

Now the district is nestled in the state’s southeastern corner. It includes Montgomery and Tuskegee, both Democratic strongholds steeped in civil rights history. It sweeps through rural areas known for peanut and soybean farming. There is a heavy military presence, with an Air Force base in Montgomery and an Army base in Dale County.

The district’s Black voting age population dropped from 48% to 40% after it was redrawn.

Figures remains confident he can win

Speaking at a community gathering at the Beulah Baptist Church, located not far from the path of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march, Figures said Republicans won’t succeed in making the district “unwinnable” for him.

“That’s in large part because I’ve had the privilege to represent over half of this new district already. We’ve shown up in the communities. We’ve shown them how we can deliver results,” Figures said.

Some Black Alabamians see echoes of the past in the redistricting process.

Maggie Walker, an 80-year-old retired educator from Montgomery, said she interpreted the Supreme Court’s redistricting decision as an effort to install “as many Republicans as possible” in the House. But she is optimistic Figures can win.

“I think he represents us and the things that are important to our state,” Walker said.

“We’re going backward with everything,” said Isaiah Sankey, vice chairman of the Montgomery County Commission. “But it’s OK — we are used to the struggle. It’s move forward, you get pushed back.”

Crime kingpin Daniel Kinahan was extradited from Dubai at the weekend to face organised crime charges in his home city of Dublin.

A former police chief has warned that the arrest of International crime figure Daniel Kinahan could lead to a resurgence in violence between Scotland’s two feuding criminal families.

The Irishman, one of the world’s most wanted men, appeared before a Dublin court on Sunday after being extradited from Dubai on charges of being involved in organised crime.

His family run international cartel are alleged to have made almost £1billion over the years from the drugs trade and organised crime in general and are also said to have have strong have strong connections with the Glasgow based Lyons crime family

The Lyons in turn have been involved in a long running murderous feud with another Glasgow family, the Daniel’s, dating back more than 25 years.

Graeme Pearson former Director General of the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency says Kinahan’s arrest will have sent shockwaves through the criminal underworld in Scotland and abroad.

He added: “It creates turbulence, bordering on chaos.

“It depends on how the various parties on the outside respond to his arrival in Ireland.

“Because the business of organised crime particularly when it comes to guns and drugs must go on.

“Someone is going to to profit from it.”

Pearson fears further violence between the Lyons and Daniel families as they and other organised crime groups – both at home and abroad – compete to fill the vacuum created by Kinahan’s arrest.

During their long running feud there has been four murders most recently a double fatal shooting of Eddie Lyons jnr and key Lyons associate Ross Monaghan in a bar in Fuengirola in Spain in May last year.

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He added: “When you have new arrangements coming into play you have the threat that somebody will step up and say I am going to be the top dog now and the only way you can do that is by using extreme violence.

“The profits are so huge and now there is an opportunity for change.

“There will be people sitting on the margins saying this is my time and that is when it becomes very dangerous.

“Nobody wants to have it as it was. They all want to have it better. With more profit.

“Somebody needs to run what was previously overseen by the Kinahans and it depends on who these people are and whether or not new partnerships can be delivered.

“It also depends whether or not Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency and others can keep a lid on the groups here in Scotland.”

Pearson continued:” Deals need to be concluded, moneys need to be paid and drugs need to be delivered.

“The confidence to make sure that happens using the regime that existed previously – that is up in the air now.”

Daniel Kinahan and other family members are also wanted by the US Treasury Department who have described their crime cartel as one of the most dangerous in the world.

The Treasury has compared it to criminal organisations such as Italy’s Camorra, Mexico’s Los Zetas and Japan’s Yakuza.

Pearson added:” If Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency can maintain the pressure they have over the last couple of years there is less opportunity for the violence to spread to Scotland.

“Now is the time for them to be aware and vigilant. I would imagine that they already have plans in place.”

The former police chief says Kinahan may still be able to operate his criminal empire from jail adding: “There will be a lot of communication from Kinahan to the outside about what he wants and what his allies want and whether or not they have the firepower to ensure that their wishes are maintained rather than a new power coming into place.

“The people who work from him will still be taking instructions But they will also be watching their own back.”

Kinahan was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April. He appealed the extradition order over the past few months but his attempts were unsuccessful.

The Lyons’ connections with the Kinahans date back more than a decade and are believed to have been forged first in Marbella in the Costa del Sol and then Dubai in the UAE.

The head of the Lyons crime family Steven Lyons is said to have made that connection after moving overseas following an attempt on his life in Glasgow in 2006

That relationship is believed to have given the Lyons the upper hand in their long-running turf war with the Daniel’s. In exchange, the Kinahans were said to have secured a lucrative drugs network in Scotland.

Steven Lyons is currently in a Spanish prison awaiting trial on money laundering charges having been deported from Bali then extradited from Holland earlier this year.

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An underworld insider said:”Some people believe that the arrest of Kinahan will now give the Daniel feud the upper hand in their feud with the Lyons leading in turn to more violence.

“It is also possible that others whose names are less well known are waiting in the wings to takeover in Scotland and elsewhere. “One thing is certain a vacuum has been created in the criminal underworld and it will be interesting to see who fills it.”

Faith Curran, described by loved ones as a “happy, adventurous, and outgoing girl”, was found dead in the Gore Water near Gorebridge in Scotland

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An 11-year-old girl who died after being discovered in water at a Scottish beauty spot has been identified and pictured for the first time. Faith Curran died following an incident in the Gore Glen area, near Gorebridge in Midlothian.

The youngster’s family reported her missing in the area at around 12.40pm on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Her body was recovered from the Gore Water close to Shanks Bridge at approximately 4.25pm.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, and her family have been informed. Those close to her have described Faith as a “happy, adventurous, and outgoing girl who enjoyed life”.

Her death is currently being treated as unexplained, though there are not believed to be suspicious circumstances. Enquiries are continuing and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course, reports the Daily Record.

Police have maintained a cordon around the woodland park, with officers stationed behind police tape restricting access to the walking route beneath Shanks Bridge, which carries the A7 road over the Gore Water.

A single bouquet of flowers was laid at the side of the bridge as a tribute to the young schoolgirl. As news of the tragedy emerged, an outpouring of tributes followed from friends, neighbours and members of the local community.

One loved one wrote online: “My darling girl you were amazing. I am in shock. Thoughts are with your family.”

One woman wrote: “RIP little angel. The whole community is so saddened. My daughter was in her class at school, she is distraught. My deepest sympathies to her family.”

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Another commented: “Sending all Faith’s family and friends prayers, love and strength at this devastating time.”

Local councillor Ellen Scott said: “This is a great tragedy for all the family and my thoughts and prayers are with them at this devastating time”.

A Police Scotland spokesperson had previously stated: “We were made aware of concern for an 11-year-old girl in the Gore Glen area, near Gorebridge, around 12.40pm on Thursday August 6.

“The body of the girl was found in the Gore Water near to Shank Bridge around 4.25pm.”

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Undated photo of Ricardo Constantino laying wreath on tiler of HMS Tiger. A Royal Navy warship which sank 118 years ago killing more than half of its crew has been discovered by a group of divers off the Isle of Wight. HMS Tiger sank in 1908 after it strayed into the path of another warship during a training exercise and was sliced in two with less than half of its 57-strong crew surviving the incident. Issue date: Monday August 10, 2026.

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At least 132 people are dead and a state of emergency has been declared after Colombia was hit by one of its largest earthquakes in years.

The death toll is likely to rise, with more feared trapped under collapsed buildings.

The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) at a depth of 103km (64 miles) in Chocó province, the country’s geological service said. It was felt across an enormous area, stretching for hundreds of miles across western Colombia.

Many of the deaths have been concentrated in the city of Pereira, in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, with surrounding cities and the Valle del Cauca region also hit hard.

The epicentre of the quake was near the village of San José del Palmar, in Chocó province, but local mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada said that there had miraculously been no deaths or injuries – despite the roads in and out being damaged.

More than 480 people were injured in the quakes, Colombia’s Association of Capital Cities wrote in a statement update on Monday.

About 55km (34 miles) from the epicenter of the earthquake, the city of Pereira saw some of the worst damage.

Videos verified by the BBC show at least one building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, the city’s main square, with scattered debris and dust across the open space where many people had gathered.

Local authorities have reported at least 40 people dead in the city’s metropolitan area, with 65 collapsed buildings. People are believed to be trapped in 15 of them.

A curfew is in place in some parts of the city until 05:00 local time on Tuesday.

Thirty-two buildings collapsed in Cali, located about 160km south of Pereira and about 200km from the epicentre.

Dan Cutler, 29, is from London but has been in Colombia for about two months as part of a big trip with his partner, and is currently in Cali.

Being woken by the earthquake, he told the BBC: “I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

“We sprinted outside in our pyjamas. There’s no major structural damage to the hotel, but there are surface cracks in the walls, and paint and plaster have peeled off,” he says.

There were also reports of deaths in Manizales, Quibdó, Medellín, across the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions.

“A Quiet Area is not one that is silent, but rather one that is undisturbed by unwanted or harmful outdoor sound created by human activities from any source”

Belfast City Council is supporting the designation of Lagan Meadows as a “quiet zone” as a consultation by Stormont on noise regulations comes to an end.

In response to the questions that the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has posed within their Lagan Meadows Quiet Area consultation document, namely “Do you agree that Lagan Meadows should be designated as a Quiet Area for the purpose of The Environmental Noise Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006?” City Hall has replied “yes.”

The council however is asking that the department speaks to Belfast City Airport, as its targets could pose a potential clash of interest with noise level regulations for the city.

Lagan Valley Regional Park, established in 1967, stretches from the Stranmillis area of Belfast City to Lisburn City. It is Northern Ireland’s first and only regional park and covers roughly 4,500 acres, stretching 11 miles along both banks of the River Lagan from Stranmillis to Union Locks in Lisburn. It is owned by Belfast City Council.

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A council report states: “A Quiet Area is not one that is silent, but rather one that is undisturbed by unwanted or harmful outdoor sound created by human activities from any source.”

In its response to the Stormont department, Siobhan Toland Director of City Services at City Hall states: “Belfast City Council notes that the Lagan Valley Regional Park is presently engaged in the implementation of a five year management plan, covering the period 2023 to 2028. Priority themes identified within the management plan include biodiversity, visitors, neighbouring communities, landscape, heritage and health and recreation.

“Belfast City Council therefore recommends that the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs should engage directly with the Lagan Valley Regional Park to ensure that the designation of the Lagan Meadows as a quiet area is appropriately compatible with the park’s five year management plan and the Lagan Valley Regional Park’s stated priority theme of health and recreation.”

It adds: “Belfast City Council additionally notes that George Best Belfast City Airport has recently published a 2040 Masterplan entitled Our Vision for the Future. The airport has indicated that its vision is to deliver growth to seven million passengers per annum by 2040, in a sustainable and responsible way, and that to accommodate the projected growth in passenger numbers will require the number of annual air traffic movements to increase to approximately 61,000; an increase of some 13,000 in the current annual cap of 48,000.

“The Airport Masterplan document states that all growth to 2040 can be delivered within the existing noise contour area limit of 5.2 km2 . Notwithstanding, the George Best Belfast City Airport Annual Performance Report for 2024 highlights that the initial departure route over the city passes close to the Lagan Meadows before turning towards the southeast over Belvoir Park Forest.

“Accordingly, it is recommended that the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs should engage with George Best Belfast City Airport concerning the Airport’s 2040 Masterplan in order to identify and understand any potential implications of the Airport’s air traffic movement and passenger growth proposals upon noise levels within the Lagan Meadows and the designation of the Lagan Meadows as a Quiet Area.”

The Environmental Noise Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 aim to put together EU and council provisions into Northern Ireland legislation. END requires periodic noise mapping, the last one in Northern Ireland was conducted 2021.

A council report states: “END additionally requires member states to “preserve environmental noise quality where it is good” through the identification and protection of Quiet Areas within agglomerations, recognising that Quiet Areas can make a beneficial contribution to public health, particularly for people living in noisy city areas.”

At the council committee meeting, SDLP Councillor Séamas de Faoite asked that the council engage with Aldegrove Belfast International Airport. He said: “It has been raised to me increasingly that late-night flights coming into Belfast International Airport are using a flight plan that brings them in over the city, and they tend to be ones that go outside the usual hours of operation. This has become a more increasing occurrence over the summer months.” The committee agreed to his proposal.

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