THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN: Our February issue features the Crown Bar in Belfast which has been restored back to its Victorian glory. The £500,000 clean-up was carried out by the National Trust, and took six months to complete. The work sparked so much interest that the entire project has been filmed by the BBC for a documentary. Not only is the Crown known throughout Ireland and Europe, but it is also known worldwide through the website and the webcam. Its been used on location to film Divorcing Jack, Cold Feet, and of course Odd Man Out starring James Mason. Its been around since 1826 and has seen more of Belfast's history than Stormont. In fact its history is to be commemorated in a book published by the National Trust which will tell the story of its past and dispel some of the myths that surround it. In direct contrast we also feature one of Northern Ireland's newest entertainment venues, The Newsroom. Red neon capitals spelling out the logo catch the eye and a glazed brick wall casts an array of colours from lightboxes and throw shimmering metallic light curtains across the room. Spanning three levels, it starts with a lounge bar on the ground floor, a dining lounge in the centre, and a nightclub bar at the top. This concept is designed to attract an all-day trade in this multi-functional venue, and could very well be making the news as Newry's latest success story.

IN PROFILE: We talk to 30-year old Richard Carron, business Development Manager for the Deluxe Group about his achievements, lessons learned, and what he most enjoys about his job.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Frankie O'Neill of the The Londonderry Arms has been celebrating the hotel's 160th anniversary. One of Northern Ireland's most historic hotels, formerly owned by Winston Churchill, and still going strong after 160 years, has been lovingly restored to its Georgian grandeur by the O'Neill family who bought the hotel sixty years ago. Nestled in the picturesque village of Carnlough in the Glens of Antrim, the hotel has enjoyed its best year ever with occupancy at an all-time high.