Pre-tax profits at the family-owned hotel group that owns a number of hotels, including the Europa Hotel in Belfast, the Culloden in Co Down, and also co-owns Dublin’s Merrion Hotel increased 21% to £4.9m (€5.5m).

The Irish are no strangers to crisp sandwiches, so it comes as no surprise to hear the world’s first crisp sandwich café, located in Belfast, sold out within two hours of opening its doors yesterday.