Approvals were made for hotels at Callendar Street and Rosemary Street

Two more new hotels have been approved for Belfast city centre, by the council, despite questions being raised over one of the proposed hotels not having windows in some of its bedrooms.

Councillors at the monthly Belfast City Council Planning Committee, held at City Hall on Tuesday evening (June 16), unanimously approved two applications to convert office blocks in the heart of the city to hotels.

The first was at the five storey Lindsay House, on Callender Street, behind Marks and Spencer. It involves the change of use from a fast food unit, restaurant, retail and office to a 76 bedroom hotel with associated restaurant and bar areas, as well as a lobby and reception area.

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Works will include the demolition of all internal walls and partitions at ground floor level and the demolition of sections of building at the rear. It will involve the replacement of windows, reconfiguration and replacement of shopfronts, the creation of new openings for windows and the removal of rooflights. Lindsay House was built in 1960.

The applicant is Victoria 1 LTD Suite, Lower Crescent, Belfast. Planning officials at the council recommended the application for approval. All the statutory bodies offered no objections except NI Water, and there were no third party representations.

Elected representatives heard from officials that there would be 12 bedrooms on the first and second floor which would “have no access to windows.”

The council report states: “It is noted a number of proposed bedrooms will have no windows owing to the relatively large depth of the building and existence of neighbouring buildings. Given the constraints of the building, the transient nature of occupation within a hotel and providing choice to potential customers, this arrangement is considered acceptable.

“In accordance with policies, the proposed development will support the growth of the tourism and hospitality sector in the city, help grow the evening and night-time economy and contribute to the supply of overnight visitor accommodation.”

Alliance Councillor Tara Brooks asked if the window-less rooms would be advertised, and a Planning official responded: “I can’t confirm how they will be advertised, because that will come much later in the process.” The official added: “I would expect, having had conversations with the applicant, that they will be advertised potentially at a lower cost, and that it will be made clear that those rooms won’t have windows.”

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Elected representatives also approved on Tuesday a new 30 bed hotel at 20 Rosemary Street, off Royal Avenue. Works will involve the retention, conversion, refurbishment and change of use of the existing office building and two vacant retail units, including the extension of the fifth floor.

The council received no objections from statutory consultees or third parties. The building is in the very heart of the city centre, close to the iconic Fresh Garbage shop. Some demolition wok will be involved.

The applicant is Rosemary Street Limited, Holywood. The building itself has a distinct ‘L shape’ arrangement presenting as four storeys at its northern elevation to Rosemary Street with a stepped back fifth floor.

The council planning report states: “The proposed development will respond positively to its local context and re-animate Rosemary Street through the retention and conversion of a vacant building in the city centre and the introduction of active ground floor frontage, ensuring vibrancy throughout the day in accordance with the requirements of policy.

“The proposed demolition is considered to be acceptable. Minor elevational details with no historic value are to be demolished. Therefore, the demolition would comply with policy.”

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TV presenter Ashley Cain has been accused of using sexual and misogynistic language to describe women in a series of historical social media posts and now the BBC has spoken out on the matter

The BBC says it is taking accusations that presenter Ashley Cain used explicit sexual and misogynistic language to describe women online in historical social media posts “very seriously”.

The broadcaster is thought to be unaware of the remarks prior to an investigation led by The Guardian which claimed the TV personality frequently referred to women on X, formerly Twitter, using abusive terms and sexualised language, including “sl*gs”, “sl*ts” and “psychos”.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We are very clear we expect the highest standards of behaviour from everyone who works with or for the BBC. “When allegations are brought to our attention we take them seriously. We will consider this information carefully and do not intend to comment further at this stage.”

The former Coventry City football player, 35, is best known for fronting the BBC Three documentary series Ashley Cain: Into The Danger Zone where he explores issues affecting young men born into a life of criminality.

The newspaper reported on Wednesday that before Cain worked for the national broadcaster he was a prolific user of social media. In 2014, in response to a since-deleted tweet he perceived to be homophobic, Cain is accused of telling a woman online that she should “go and choke on a c*** you sl**”.

Cain’s X account appears to have been removed from the platform. The broadcaster is understood to have asked the independent production companies that hired Cain to review the social media checks conducted at the time.

Cain appeared last year on the BBC’s spin off cooking programme, Celebrity MasterChef. Transmission details of Into The Danger Zone series two are yet to be announced.

The star also gained respect from the public following the tragic death of his daughter Azaylia, Ashley and his then-partner, Azaylia’s mum Safiyya Vorajee, documented their extraordinary efforts to try and save her life – including raising £1.5 million to fly her to Singapore for specialist treatment.

But sadly, the child died on April 25, 2021. Ashley and his former partner went on to form The Azaylia Foundation, which supports families dealing with childhood cancer.

Five years on from the devastating day of the youngster’s funeral, dad Ashley shared an Instagram post. Alongside solemn images from the funeral, Ashley wrote: “Today I cried for the first time in a long time. As soon as I turned into the cemetery and saw her resting place, I couldn’t control the emotions that had obviously built up inside me.

“The truth is, I cannot believe it has been 5 years since we laid her to rest, and I still can’t seem to accept it. “But my time spent with her today was peaceful, it was beautiful, and it was one of those moments where time stood still… where I could reminisce about all that she was, and every moment I was privileged and blessed enough to spend with her.”

He went on: “May you continue to rest in eternal paradise my princess, and until we meet again… I will love you with the entirety of my heart, forever and always.”

The Mirror has contacted Ashley’s representatives for comment.

Comedian Richard Herring, who was crowned Taskmaster champion twice, has announced he has been diagnosed with cancer for a second time

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Comedian and former Taskmaster star Richard Herring has revealed to his Substack followers that he has received a second cancer diagnosis, this time described as “incurable” and unrelated to his previous testicular cancer.

“Let me give you the bad news first. I have cancer again. Not ball cancer this time, I can’t afford to lose another one of those (though I will be doing my show ‘The Male Eunuch’ if it does happen),” he announced to his subscribers on the publishing platform for writers.

“This time I have blood cancer. And God is determined to make sure I get the funniest cancers possible and this one is called hairy cell leukaemia. The other bad news is that it is incurable.”

Despite the sobering news, Herring was quick to reassure his followers that the condition is manageable, even if a full recovery is not on the card s, reports the Mirror.

“The good news is that it’s entirely treatable and will not kill me (the treatment has a tiny chance of killing me, but so has loading the dishwasher, so don’t worry about it).

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“I will of course be using the fact that I have incurable cancer for all it’s worth for the rest of my (hopefully long) life. I can get out of doing other people’s podcasts, any social event I don’t fancy and also set up a justgiving page with me with a sad face, hugging my kids and asking for money to help them once I’m gone.

“Ha ha ha. It’s not even a scam. It’s all true. I just won’t mention that fact that it’s treatable.”

He revealed that receiving his cancer diagnosis this time had taken several years: “they found a few of the cells in my bone marrow about 12 year ago, but it didn’t get any worse and after five years of being tested the doctor said it was probably going to be OK.”

He went on to say he’d “sort of forgotten about it” until speaking with his doctors.

Richard then described his first day of chemotherapy and his experience with the NHS in the remainder of his upbeat post, reassuring supporters there “were no immediate problems.”

The comedian is perhaps best recognised for his stand-up performances and in 2020, he participated in and won the tenth series of Taskmaster. He subsequently competed against Ed Gamble, Kerry Godliman, Liza Tarbuck and Lou Sanders in the second “Champion of Champions” special, which he also claimed victory in that same year.

He has created, written and performed in fourteen solo shows, and co-wrote the sitcom Time Gentlemen Please. Richard also has more than 10,000 followers on Substack where he frequently posts content and personal updates, including this latest health announcement.

The performer has also featured on numerous other television programmes including Have I Got News For You, and this year in The Great Celebrity Pottery Throwdown.

At the conclusion of his Substack post, Richard confirmed the blood cancer and his earlier testicular cancer were unrelated: “It’s not linked the the testicular cancer. Someone up there just doesn’t like me. But they don’t hate me that much. So keep giving me the flimsiest and easiest to live with and funniest named cancers available.

“To have one cancer elicits sympathy, but getting two starts to look a bit like attention-seeking. At least get a properly dangerous one if you’re going to make a big deal about it. I feel a bit embarrassed about it,” he joked.

Could history be about to repeat itself for Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright)?

EastEnders spoilers for next week suggest there could still be unfinished business between the former lovers as Max once again finds himself drawn to Linda.

The serial cheat has left a trail of broken hearts across Walford over the years, but his complicated relationship with Linda remains one of the most memorable. Their affair rocked Albert Square back in 2020 when Linda was still married to Mick Carter, with the pair embarking on a secret romance that eventually resulted in the birth of baby Annie.

At the time, Max believed he had finally found happiness with Linda and even planned a future with her. However, Linda ultimately chose to reunite with Mick, leaving Max heartbroken before he later departed Walford.

Fast forward to 2026, and it seems old feelings may still be lingering beneath the surface.

Next week, Linda throws herself into organising a Salsa class at the community centre. Keen to make the event a success, Max gets involved and encourages local residents to attend.

While his efforts appear innocent enough on the surface, fans may be wondering whether Max’s enthusiasm has more to do with Linda than his desire to support the community.

Things don’t exactly go to plan when the class is disrupted by a drunken visitor, threatening to ruin the event. Fortunately, Callum Highway steps in to help diffuse the situation and get things back on track.

After the drama settles down, Linda and Max are left alone together and finally get the chance to address some of the painful history between them.

The pair share a significant moment as they talk through old wounds and unresolved feelings that have been hanging over them for years.

Given everything they’ve been through together, it’s no surprise that emotions are running high. After all, Max was once convinced Linda was the love of his life, while Linda spent years wrestling with the consequences of their affair and the impact it had on her marriage and family.

Whether their conversation brings closure or sparks something new remains to be seen.

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Just as the pair begin opening up to one another, however, they’re interrupted by none other than Cindy Beale.

Never one to miss an opportunity to cause chaos, Cindy swoops in and whisks Max away to The Vic before he and Linda can continue their heart-to-heart.

The interruption leaves plenty of questions hanging in the air. Have Linda and Max finally put the past behind them, or could this be the start of a new chapter for the former couple?

With Max’s history of cheating and complicated romances, viewers know better than to expect a straightforward outcome. And with Linda trying to move forward after some incredibly difficult years, getting pulled back into Max’s messy orbit could be the last thing she needs.

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The first half of the game has been dramatic – but one thing has left fans unhappy

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England’s first game of the 2026 World Cup is finally underway in Houston, Texas on Wednesday night – and one thing has already got fans booing.

The team are 2-2 against Croatia at half time, but one thing left fans of the Three Lions deeply unhappy.

The tournament, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, has seen the introduction of ‘hydration breaks’ roughly halfway through each half of the game.

These have been introduced due to the anticipated high temperatures at some stadiums, however they are taking place in every match.

This is not a move that has gone down well with many fans, including England’s as the team take on Croatia.

Fans also quickly took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their annoyance with the hydration break during the first half of the game, with fans at Freight Island in Manchester and other fan zones across the country raucously booing.

One, Bernie, wrote: “This ‘making it fair for everyone’ by having hydration breaks in all matches is bs. How is it fair for a team to play in an airconditioned stadium, but another team has to play in sweltering heat. The teams playing in intense heat deserve a hydration break.”

Another, John Gubba, tweeted: “Fans have every right to boo the hydration break. England v Croatia is in an air conditioned stadium. And there’s no problem with overheating. This is blatant USA changing the game so they can run commercial breaks.”

Meanwhile user Zapaz worried the appearance of the hydration break might be a portent of things to come elsewhere.

They wrote: “How long before this hydration break hits the major leagues of Europe? Absolute joke.”

Others went further, blaming the break for Croatia managing to score their first goal.

One wrote: “this is exactly why hydration breaks should NOT be a thing. England completely dominating and looking for a second – hydration break happens and momentum shifts to Croatia which leads to the tying goal.”

Another added: “!England were in full control until the hydration break It completely disrupted their rhythm.”

Throughout her career and voluntary work, Lorraine Gillies has dedicated herself to supporting vulnerable people, strengthening communities and promoting inclusion.

Lorraine Gillies has been selected as Almond Valley’s Local Hero for the opening ceremony of Session 7 of the Scottish Parliament, following a public nomination recognising her outstanding service to communities across West Lothian.

Throughout her career and voluntary work, Lorraine has dedicated herself to supporting vulnerable people, strengthening communities and promoting inclusion.

As Senior Manager at Cyrenians West Lothian, Chair of the Open Door Accommodation Project, and through a range of leadership and voluntary roles, she has made a lasting difference to the lives of many local residents.

Her commitment to public service extends beyond West Lothian through her involvement with Community Justice Scotland, the Scottish Community Safety Network and the Independent Working Group on Anti-Social Behaviour.

She also gives her time as a Trustee and Volunteer with West Lothian Riding for the Disabled, Chair of The Scheme Livingston, Board Member of Donaldson’s Trust and Patron of the West Lothian Community Race Forum.

Lorraine said: “I’m a strong believer in the power of community, volunteering and local democracy.

“I’m delighted to be nominated and even more delighted to be accompanying Angela to the state opening of the Scottish Parliament.”

Almond Valley MSP Angela Constance added: “I am delighted that Lorraine has been recognised as Almond Valley’s Local Hero. Her commitment to supporting others, strengthening communities and championing inclusion has touched the lives of countless people across West Lothian.

“This recognition is richly deserved, and I look forward to seeing her represent our community at the Opening Ceremony of Session 7 of the Scottish Parliament.”

Lorraine was nominated by a member of the public who highlighted her lifelong commitment to community service, leadership and helping others, often without seeking recognition for herself.

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Campaigners took to the streets of York city centre to call for electoral reform, including changing the voting system for national elections.

Sean Hagan, of Make Votes Matter York and North Yorkshire, said the current first-past-the-post system left millions without representation and allowed parties to win elections with minority support from voters.

Protests on Sunday, June 14 came as part of the Wake Up Westminster national day of action which saw similar demonstrations held in support of moving to proportional representation.

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The York demonstration saw campaigners display a banner bearing the slogan: ‘Wake up Westminster- It’s time for proportional representation’ on landmarks including the bar walls.

Members of Make Votes Matter were joined by those of the campaign group Compass.

Campaigners said the 2024 general election which saw Labour win 411 out of 650 seats in Parliament with roughly 34 per cent of the vote showed first-past-the-post was unfair.

They have called for first-past-the-post, where the candidate with the most votes wins even if they do not get a majority, to be ditched for proportional representation.

Proportional representation, or PR, awards candidates or parties a share of seats based on the share of the vote they receive in the election.

Protesters in support of proportional representation in York on Sunday, June 14 (Image: Make Votes Matter)

Make Votes Matter’s Mr Hagan said too many people felt their votes were wasted on under the current system.

The campaigner said: “Election after election, millions of voters are left without meaningful representation, while parties can gain government power on minority voter support.

“The UK deserves a democratic voting system that ensures seats in Parliament more fairly reflect how people vote and every voter can have an effective voice in shaping the country’s future.”

Electoral reform including giving votes to 16 and 17 year olds is currently making its way through Parliament.

But the Representation of the People Bill does not include changes to the country’s voting system and the Government currently has no plans to alter it.

Supporters of PR argue it would better represent smaller parties and curb tactical voting, when people cast ballots based on who they think is most likely to win.

But opponents say it can produce weak and unstable coalition governments and allow parties to stay in power by making new pacts with others, making them harder to vote out.

York councillors voted 38 to two in support of a motion calling for PR to be adopted nationally in April.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Anne Hook, who tabled the motion, said the change would raise the quality of political debate and force ideas and policies to stand up to scrutiny.

Conservative Cllr Christ Steward, who voted against, said no voting system was perfect and PR would not put an end to safe seats or tactical voting.

A fleet of emergency services attended a house on Fourth Street, Leadgate, Consett, at 5.26pm this evening (June 17).

Police confirmed a man had been bitten by his dog leaving him with non-life threatening injuries.

Sergeant Dan Beardmore from Durham Police said: “A dog has bitten it’s owner and one person was injured; his injuries are not life threatening. He has gone to the RVI.

“There were no other people involved. The dog has been seized and there will be a full investigation. There was another dog also involved.”

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) confirmed they attended the incident and took the owner to hospital.

A spokesperson said: “We were called to an incident at a private address in Consett, County Durham at 5.26pm.

“We dispatched two ambulance crews, one rapid response paramedic, one clinical team leader and were supported by our colleagues at Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

“One patient was taken to hospital by road.”

Police were at the scene after the dog attack. (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Police at the scene on Fourth Street, Consett after a dog attack. (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Pictures from this evening show the canine unit stationed on the road along with around five other police vehicles. The dog warden and an on-call vet also attended.

Police seen entering a property with a shield. (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Residents described returning home from work and seeing the street blocked off by police vehicles.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “The dog lived opposite me. It’s lived there a couple of years. The dog was running up the street.”

Police confirmed an investigation will be launched with emergency services remaining at the scene this evening.

The Great North Air Ambulance has been contacted for comment.

The broadcaster announced plans for major changes in a bid to save hundreds of thousands of pounds

The BBC has confirmed that it will undergo significant cost-cutting measures over the next three years, with dozens of jobs in Wales expected to be lost as part of a corporation-wide downsizing programme. The broadcaster announced today the first phase of plans to deliver £500m in savings by the end of the 2027/28 financial year.

The move will see hundreds of posts cut across the UK, alongside reductions in programme commissioning and operational spending.

In Wales, the BBC is aiming to save £9m, with around 50 roles set to be removed during the initial phase of the restructuring. The cuts form part of wider savings across the BBC’s Nations division, which covers services in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and local operations across England. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

Staff were informed that 550 positions across the BBC’s News, Nations and Content divisions will be closed by the start of 2027/28. The broadcaster said the changes announced today will contribute around £160m towards its overall £500m savings target.

The BBC expects its total workforce to shrink by between 1,800 and 2,000 posts over the next three years, representing a reduction in headcount of around 10%.

Alongside the Welsh job losses, the Nations division is expected to see up to 50 roles cut in Northern Ireland, around 60 in Scotland, and approximately 90 across BBC Local services in England.

The news department are also looking to save around £25m, with a net reduction of around 200 roles for this first phase. BBC News will be reducing costs by at least £51m by next April with further announcements expected over the next few months detailing further post closures amounting to a level similar to that announced today. There has been no talk of how BBC News Wales will be affected.

According to the broadcaster, the cuts are being driven by changing audience habits, with more viewers and listeners consuming content online rather than through traditional television and radio services. As part of the plans, the BBC will review its portfolio of television channels and radio networks and reduce the number of hours commissioned across a range of genres.

BBC management said programme and staffing decisions would be guided by three key principles: maintaining content with the greatest audience impact, investing in services where audiences are increasingly consuming content, and simplifying the organisation to reduce duplication and speed up decision-making.

Employees have been told that voluntary redundancy schemes will be made available, although the BBC has warned that compulsory redundancies may also be necessary.

Further details on additional savings and job reductions across other BBC divisions are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Harry Kane received a major reprieve in England’s opening game of the World Cup as VAR intervened to order a retake.

Kane saw his penalty saved by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, but referee Clement Turpin paused the game to announce that the kick would be taken again.

Replays showed Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol encroach inside the area before Kane had struck the penalty, and it was Gvardiol who made first contact with the ball after Livakovic’s save. Defenders encroaching on a penalty is pointless endeavour in the modern game, because if they touch the ball, VAR will always intervene and order a retake.

Replays also appeared to show Livakovic was slightly off his line when the penalty was taken – another reason for officials to order a retaken spot-kick.

Kane stepped up once more and dispatched the penalty at the second attempt, this time doing away with the stutter and striking the ball confidently to the same side where Livakovic had made the initial save.

More to follow…