Displaying items by tag: UTV

21st September 2017

Broadcaster UTV to Relocate to Belfast's City Quays

in this file photo taken earlier this year are initial construction stages of City Quays 2 development. Afloat adds that along the quay is where the old Isle of Man Steam Packet ferry terminal was located. In the background to the right of the tower under construction are the Belfast Harbour Commissioners headquarters.

#belfastlough - Belfast Harbour Commissioners has announced that ITV Broadcasting, owners of UTV are the latest tenant for its new £250 million City Quays 2 office development.

City Quays 2 is a new office led development of 20 acres on Belfast's waterfront. UTV is to relocate from its previous home at Havelock House which has been the local broadcasters base since its launch in Northern Ireland in 1959.

Belfast firm McLaughlin & Harvey has been appointed to fit-out the 11,400 sq ft space and create a modern broadcasting centre complete with HD studio, editing technology and office space for all of UTV’s staff. In addition to Grade ‘A’ office space, City Quays 2 will also include a four-star hotel operated by AC Marriott and a 900-space multi-storey car park.

UTV, which is taking the top floor of City Quays 2, is expected to begin broadcasting from its new studios in the summer of 2018.

Welcoming the move, Graeme Johnston, Belfast Harbour’s Property Director, said: “To confirm a household name such as ITV as the first tenant for City Quays 2 is excellent news and a great reflection on the flexibility of the office space available.”

“Other cities such as Manchester have benefitted from the creation of media quarters such as MediaCityUK and there is the potential to replicate that success here. NBC Universal is already based in City Quays 1, the Belfast Telegraph is located nearby in Clarendon Dock and both the Belfast Harbour Film Studios and Titanic Studios are within easy reach.”

“City Quays 2 has been one of the largest speculative office developments in Northern Ireland in recent years and could ultimately accommodate 1,000 workers.”

Speaking earlier in the year Terry Brennan, Head of News and Programming at UTV said: “We are delighted to have secured the entire eighth floor of this prestigious new building which is in a prime location in central Belfast for our new UTV headquarters. We can see how beneficial this location will be, in terms of the surrounding amenities and transport links for our modern news operation.

“This is also a significant milestone in UTV’s history and represents a multi-million pound investment by ITV since it acquired UTV just over a year ago. We aim to be operational at the new site by the middle of next year, when the detailed technical work will be complete to fit out the new HD studios, edit suites, corporate offices and news, administration, finance and sales areas for our staff.”

Published in Belfast Lough

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NI Lifeguards To Feature In New TV Series

#WaterSafety - RNLI lifeguards in Northern Ireland are to feature on a new television series on UTV.

The Magazine starts on Sunday 7 April at 7.30pm with host Sarah Travers in her home town of Portstewart to introduce viewers to some of her favourite people, places and topics.   

As part of the first programme, TV presenter Emma-Rosa Dias will find out what it takes to be a lifeguard with the RNLI when she visits the charity’s area support centre in Ballymoney - before being put through her paces by RNLI lifeguard supervisor Tim Doran to see if she is ready for the challenge.

  After a test in the swimming pool, Dias experiences a slice of the real thing when she pays a visit to Portrush East Strand on the Causeway Coast, one of the five beaches in Northern Ireland which begins its Easter season on Good Friday tomorrow 29 March.

  As previously reported on Afloat.ie, this lifeguard cover will run throughout Easter week until Sunday 7 April.  

Filming took place on Monday afternoon and despite the unseasonal weather, the charity’s highly trained lifeguards took the opportunity to demonstrate that they will be ready to assist the visitors who will brave the elements and take a trip to the seaside over the Easter break.   

Speaking following the afternoon’s shoot, Tim Doran said filming with UTV was a great way to show how highly trained RNLI lifeguards are.

"Our lifeguards spot potential dangers before they develop, and are on hand to give appropriate safety advice and respond immediately if anyone gets into difficulty," he said. "Because our lifeguards work closely alongside our volunteer lifeboat crews, it means the RNLI offers beach-goers and water-users a seamless rescue service from beach to open sea."

While Easter is often the time when people are getting back in the water after the winter, and while it’s good to see people enjoying the beaches, the RNLI is encouraging visitors to make sure they have the right kit to keep warm.

  "It’s much colder now then it was this time last year," Doran added, "and our lifeguards will be wrapping up and we’d encourage everyone else to do the same. So, if you are heading into the sea, make sure you’re wearing a good wetsuit or drysuit, go with other people and keep an eye on each other.

"Keeping warm in cold weather can take a lot of energy, so fatigue can be an issue, plus watch out for the wind chill factor – even a slight breeze can have a dramatic effect on how cold it feels."

  Meanwhile, to find out how Emma-Rosa Dias gets on, tune into UTV at 7.30pm on Sunday 7 April.

Published in Water Safety

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New TV Documentary: 'Smugglers'

'Smugglers' is the first of a new two-part documentary narrated by Samuel West which is to start this Tuesday on UTV at 9pm.

The programme follows a customs cutter crew from the UK Border Agency as it stops a container ship suspected of carrying a large consignment of narcotics.

Also exposed is the work of organised crime gangs and the average holiday-maker as they try to beat UK border controls and smuggle drugs and tobacco into the country.

The documentary also reveals the case of a 62-year-old retired taxi driver from Birmingham caught with 5kg of cocaine concealed behind the engine of his car.

Published in Maritime TV

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National Yacht Club Facilities

Facilities include a slipway directly accessing Dun Laoghaire Harbour, over eighty club moorings, platform parking, pontoons, fuelling, watering and crane-lifting ensure that the NYC is excellently equipped to cater for all the needs of the contemporary sailor. Berths with diesel, water, power and overnight facilities are available to cruising yachtsmen with shopping facilities being a short walk away. The club is active throughout the year with full dining and bar facilities and winter activities include bridge, snooker, quiz nights, wine tasting and special events.

National Yacht Club History

Although there are references to an active “club” prior to 1870, history records that the present clubhouse was erected in 1870 at a cost of £4,000 to a design by William Sterling and the Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club was registered with Lloyds in the same year. By 1872 the name had been changed to the Kingston Harbour Boat Club and this change was registered at Lloyds.

In 1881. the premises were purchased by a Captain Peacocke and others who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Harbour Yacht Club again registered at Lloyds. Some six years later in 1877 the building again changed hands being bought by a Mr Charles Barrington. and between 1877 and 1901 the club was very active and operated for a while as the “Absolute Club” although this change of name was never registered.

In 1901, the lease was purchased by three trustees who registered it as the Edward Yacht Club. In 1930 at a time when the Edward Yacht Club was relatively inactive, a committee including The Earl of Granard approached the trustees with a proposition to form the National Yacht Club. The Earl of Granard had been Commodore of the North Shannon Y.C. and was a senator in the W.T.Cosgrave government. An agreement was reached, the National Yacht Club was registered at Lloyds. The club burgee was created, red cross of Saint George with blue and white quarters being sky cloud, sea and surf. The Earl of Granard became the first Commodore.

In July of 1950, a warrant was issued to the National Yacht Club by the Government under the Merchant Shipping Act authorising members to hoist a club ensign in lieu of the National Flag. The new ensign to include a representation of the harp. This privilege is unique and specific to members of the National Yacht Club. Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities.

An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade. Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events. The club provides a wide range of sailing facilities, from Junior training to family cruising, dinghy sailing to offshore racing and caters for most major classes of dinghies, one design keelboats, sports boats and cruiser racers. It provides training facilities within the ISA Youth Sailing Scheme and National Power Boat Schemes.

Past Commodores

1931 – 42 Earl of Granard 1942 – 45 T.J. Hamilton 1945 – 47 P.M. Purcell 1947 – 50 J.J. O’Leary 1950 – 55 A.A. Murphy 1955 – 60 J.J. O’Leary 1960 – 64 F. Lemass 1964 – 69 J.C. McConnell 1969 – 72 P.J. Johnston 1972 – 74 L. Boyd 1974 – 76 F.C. Winkelmann 1976 – 79 P.A. Browne 1979 – 83 W.A. Maguire 1983 – 87 F.J. Cooney 1987 – 88 J.J. Byrne 1988 – 91 M.F. Muldoon 1991 – 94 B.D. Barry 1994 – 97 M.P.B. Horgan 1997 – 00 B. MacNeaney 2000 – 02 I.E. Kiernan 2002 – 05 C.N.I. Moore 2005 – 08 C.J. Murphy 2008 – 11 P.D. Ryan 2011 – P. Barrington 2011-2014 Larry Power 2014-2017 Ronan Beirne 2017 – 2019

At A Glance - National Yacht Club 2024 Events