As the season approaches the 2020 road racing rumours and breaking news starts coming in thick and fast and since January a lot has happened!
To catch up on what has happened since the end of 2019 Season make sure to check out this post : https://tbni.blog/2020/01/01/2020-road-racing-pre-season-rumour-mill/
So since New Year’s Day has much happened? Certainly!
Read more2020 Road Racing Rumours : Road Racing Pre-Season Rumour Mill : Part 2 :
Portrush Air Show Cancelled : Today it has been confirmed that the 2020 Portrush Air Show (Airwaves) has been cancelled thanks to budget cuts by the Causeway Coast and Glens Council.
Somehow the council has found itself £68,000,000 in debt so in its wisdom has decided to cut one of the events that brings huge tourism to the area. Estimates suggest that the Portrush Air Show brings around £2,000,000 to Portrush and the North Coast annually in revenue. The Council funding the Air Show runs to the region of £240,000 – so remove £240k and loose £2 Million. How do these decision makers get in power, why do we vote them in and moreso how do they get their area £68 Million in debt?
The North Coast area of Northern Ireland should be buzzing just one year after The Open came to Royal Portrush Golf Club but instead Portrush is losing events and facilities that should have been securing money to the area and the Portrush Air Show is not all that has suffered.
The full extent of the cuts that the Council will be making can be found here : https://www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/uploads/general/200212_SCM_Item_4_Savings_for_Inclusion_in_rates_Estimates_V2_REDACTED.pdf
So really what that means is all the good work and rejuvenation of Portrush in recent years is now wasted. The nostalgic reasons for visiting Portrush for local Northern Irish people is diminishing away to nothing as are the reasons for foreign visitors. Barry’s future is in question, Waterworld will be closed and the Air Show is no more. What was becoming a increasingly desirable place to live with new sea view and sea side apartments popping up everywhere will now suffer with a rates hike. Your rubbish will be emptied once a month, so the amount of vermin will increase, fly tipping will increase and the place will be dirtier – simple science. You’ll get charged for parking, but the good news is there will be loads of spaces because no one will be visiting.
The NW200 is still secured thanks to a new sponsorship deal with FonaCab and Nicholl Oils but this has been a bad and sad day for the North Coast.
Of course there are still reasons to visit one of the most beautiful and one of my personal favourite parts of Northern Ireland, such as the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, The Dark Hedges, Bushmills, Ballintoy Harbour and of course the simply glorious Causeway Coastal Route -so please make sure you do visit and support the area, just don’t expect anything good from the Council whether you are a visitor or resident!
Read more about this story here :
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/51498124
Price at time of Purchase : £239 for the seven piece set. If you are interested in Ring Devices read on for the TBNI Ring Alarm Review.
Ring are well know for their video doorbells that let you check on who is calling at your door from anywhere in the world in live time and even let you communicate with the caller. There are cheaper video doorbells but I think it is fair to say that Ring are the market leaders, but that is not all they do.
The Ring Security eco-system contains, indoor and outdoor cameras from simple what you see is what you get cameras to cameras with spotlights and even flood lights and sirens. They all work seamlessly with Smart Home Assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home – however unfortunately they have not crossed over into Apple’s HomeKit yet despite promises and teasers for the last couple of years.
All Ring Devices are managed under the Ring App which does a pretty decent job of letting your organise your devices however you wish and letting you check the view from any of them with a few simple clicks. It all works well.
But this well working doesn’t come without a price, thankfully that price is pretty reasonable, for example an annual subscription for the Ring Video Door Bell is £25, and for £80 you get a year’s subscription for as many Ring Devices as you own. For me that £80 subscription covers the doorbell, an outdoor camera and the newly (end of 2019 in the UK) released Ring Alarm. (You can buy and use the alarm with no subscription but then there is no notifications sent outside of the app should the alarm be activated.