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Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Motorsport: Paddon targets Donegal success on first competitive Irish outing
Reigning and double European Rally Champion, New Zealander Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) gets his first competitive taste of Irish rallying shortly after eleven o'clock on Friday on the 14.3km Malin Head stage, the first of the weekend's twenty stages of the Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally. Although the three-day Letterkenny-based event is the fourth round of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, the fact that both Keith Cronin and Matt Edwards, have for different reasons, paused their rallying, some of the usual shine has been taken from the series. However, the presence of Paddon along with Kesh driver Jon Armstrong and Moira's William Creighton has cranked up the competition level in the north-west. Paddon has faced both and indeed top seed Callum Devine in last year's Rali Ceredigion in Wales, where the New Zealander took a comfortable victory. However, Donegal will be very different as Paddon told the Irish Examiner yesterday morning. "We (with his Cork born co-driver David Moynihan) have just completed all our recce (reconnaissance), the stages are very fast and technical at the same time. It's going to be very difficult to be at the same speed as the locals when you don't have the knowledge of the roads. We're going to do the best job we can but its difficult when you don't have the experience. Ceredigion was even, we had the same amount of experience but coming here is different as they (local drivers) know the roads so well and we have respect for that. "First and foremost we've come here to enjoy ourselves. The second pass through the stages will be quicker, but until you actually drive them for the first time and have a feel of all the bumps and how the car reacts you don't know. For sure on the second pass you would be more confident." He concluded: "It's a big challenge for us both, obviously Dave (co-driver) has got to learn my pacenote system and for me it's a different voice that you hear in the intercom and how I interpret the words. A challenge is good, it makes it more exciting." Paddon will try and add his name to other luminaries that have triumphed in Donegal like Achim Armbold (1975), Ari Vatanen (1978) and Sebastien Loeb (2007) all of whom have added to the event's legendary status. Top seed Devine will be followed off the start line by Jon Armstrong - fresh from a fine third place on last weekend's Rally Poland and without the shackles of a championship bid, he's unlikely to hold back. In any case, such is the pace, there's no time to adopt a wait and see process when seconds or even parts of, are crucial. Creighton missed the last round of the BRC but arrives in Donegal as leader of the BRC courtesy of his victory in the East Riding Stages and second on the Carlisle Stages. At the wheel of the MEM Castrol-backed Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, he is fulfilling a personal desire. "Donegal is a rally that I've always wanted to contest in a Rally2 car. It's such a special event for Irish rallying and the atmosphere is second to none. The pace at the front of the ITRC is very strong. There's no room for error. It's important to find a good rhythm from the beginning of the rally. But that's what makes it such a brilliant challenge." Others in the top ten are Monaghan's Josh Moffett (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Welsh ace Meirion Evans in the second of the MEM Castrol Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 cars, who will be aiming to go one better than last year when he finished 17.4s behind Devine. "I'm happy with where I am with the Yaris Rally2 at the moment and I hope I can translate that into a really strong performance again. Our speed on the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney was really good and we managed to move our pace forward a bit more on the Jim Clark Rally. It would be great to go one better this time." Today's first leg is a loop of three stages repeated twice with servicing in Carndonagh.
Belfast Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
William Creighton knows there's no room for error at Donegal International Rally
Moira man Creighton and his Belfast co-driver Liam Regan have landed a starting place for the fourth round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris Rally2 thanks to ongoing support from sponsors and the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy. The pair tackled the event 12 months ago, albeit on opposite sides of the car and purely for fun, but this time around, they return expecting to challenge many of the top Rally2 seeds, including defending Champion Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), the Moffett brothers — Sam and Josh — and Jon Armstrong, who arrives fresh from a podium finish in Poland as part of his FIA European Rally Championship campaign. Added spice comes in the form of New Zealander and two-time FIA European Rally Champion Hayden Paddon, who is deputising for Matt Edwards in a C&M Motorsport-run Hyundai i20 N Rally2. 'The pace at the front of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship is very strong,' said Creighton, who makes his first competitive outing as a driver on Irish soil since the West Cork Rally last March. 'There is no room for error, and it is important to find a good rhythm from the beginning of the rally — but that is what makes the Donegal Rally such a brilliant challenge. 'This is a rally that I have always wanted to contest in a Rally2 car — it is such a special event for Irish rallying, and the atmosphere is second to none. To be competing on such an iconic event, on home ground, with the support of the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and in the Castrol GR Yaris really means a lot. 'I think Donegal will be a huge test, not just because of the pace of the competition, but the intensity of the rally and how much the local knowledge comes into play. I did the rally last year, but in the co-driver's seat of Liam's Skoda — this will be a world away from that. Either way, I am really looking forward to enjoying the weekend and putting on a show for the fans.' Creighton's appearance at the Letterkenny-based event is also going to serve as a useful warm-up for the next asphalt round of the Probite British Rally Championship, which the 27-year-old has made winning the priority this season. After the first three rounds, he provisionally leads the way with Castrol MEM Rally team-mate Meirion Evans. Next up in the BRC is August's Grampian Forest Stages Rally before the action switches to Rali Ceredigion in Wales. 'This is a great opportunity for me, both in terms of contesting such an iconic rally and in staying sharp during the gap in the BRC schedule,' was Creighton's assessment. 'Three days in Donegal offers very useful seat-time ahead of our next asphalt BRC round at Rali Ceredigion later in the summer. 'It is a huge boost to be back behind the wheel and to do it on Irish soil, I am grateful to the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and the team for making it happen.'
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Gen Z Drives Britain's Consumer Confidence to Highest This Year
UK consumer confidence jumped to its highest level this year, boosted by rising optimism among Generation Z after the latest increase in the minimum wage. The British Retail Consortium said its gauge measuring expectations for the economy over the next three months rose to minus 28 in June, up from minus 36 last month. It was the highest reading since December.
Fashion Network
7 days ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
May's dip in footfall numbers tips over into June - BRC-Sensormatic
Data gatherers agree, it's been a slow start to summer shopping. The latest to record a softly-softly approach from consumers to retail spending is BRC-Sensormatic. Activity for the four weeks covering 4-31 May dipped to -1.7% year-on-year, way down from +7.2% in a busy Easter April. High Street footfall fell to -2.5% in May, down from +5.3% in April, Retail Parks proved their ongoing resilience, increasing 0.2% but still fell from +7.5%the previous month and Shopping Centre footfall dipped 2.3% in May down from +5.6% in April. It said footfall decreased year-on-year across all nations: down 0.4% in Wales, 0.7% in Scotland, 1.4% in Northern Ireland, and the largest decrease of 2% in England. BRC CEO Helen Dickinson said: 'Despite favourable weather throughout May, footfall took a disappointing turn last month, following a more promising start to the year. 'While stock markets stabilised, higher household bills depressed consumer sentiment and the appetite to visit retail stores.' Andy Sumpter, Retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic, added that the early good weather 'may have favoured outdoor leisure over shopping. Still, May's result is a marked improvement on the -3.6% seen in the same month last year and reflects a more stable trend in 2025 overall.' He added: 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment has shown signs of improvement, with more shoppers feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. Notwithstanding ongoing cost pressures, retailers will be looking to make hay while the sun shines—focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.' Earlier this month, MRI said footfall numbers were also slow at the start of this month (1-7 June) from the previous week, the sharpest week-on-week decline experienced since the seven days that followed the Easter period. It said overall, weekly footfall in UK retail destinations weakened by 8%, especially noticeable in shopping centres (-10.4%) with high streets following closely behind (-9%). Retail parks witnessed a more modest decline in activity at -3.5%.
Fibre2Fashion
7 days ago
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
UK retail footfall down 1.7% in May after April surge
Total retail footfall in the UK dropped by 1.7 per cent in May compared to the same month last year, a sharp contrast to the 7.2 per cent rise observed in April. The downturn affected all major retail formats, with High Streets, Shopping Centres, and Retail Parks all reporting weaker performances, according to the latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Sensormatic IQ. High Street footfall fell by 2.5 per cent year-on-year in May, following a 5.3 per cent increase in April. Shopping Centres saw a 2.3 per cent decrease, down from a 5.6 per cent rise the previous month. Retail Parks were the only format to show a slight increase, up 0.2 per cent year-on-year, though this was significantly below April's 7.5 per cent growth. Footfall also declined across all four UK nations. England recorded the steepest fall at 2 per cent, followed by Northern Ireland (down 1.4 per cent), Scotland (down 0.7 per cent), and Wales (down 0.4 per cent). UK retail footfall fell by 1.7 per cent year-on-year in May, reversing April's 7.2 per cent rise, as per BRC-Sensormatic data. High Streets and Shopping Centres saw drops of 2.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent, respectively, while Retail Parks edged up 0.2 per cent. All UK nations reported declines. Analysts cited cost pressures, subdued consumer sentiment, and a shift toward outdoor leisure. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC , said: 'Despite favourable weather throughout May, footfall took a disappointing turn last month, following a more promising start to the year. While stock markets stabilised, higher household bills depressed consumer sentiment and the appetite to visit retail stores. Retail Parks performed the best of all locations, though only registering a slight uptick in shopper traffic. There was also positive news in the North West, as Manchester's string of summer activities solidified its position as one of the top-performing English cities. 'Retailers work hard to deliver vibrant, engaging shopping experiences that attract customers and boost footfall across the UK. However, the Chancellor's 2024 Budget added £5 billion to the industry's costs, hampering their ability to do so. The government must now ensure that upcoming reforms to business rates to be announced in the 2025 Budget leave no shop paying more. These reforms should support and incentivise, rather than penalise, the investment needed to revitalise our high streets and town centres.' Andy Sumpter, retail consultant EMEA for Sensormatic , commented: 'May's footfall figures showed a modest decline, with total UK retail visits down -1.7 per cent year-on-year. High Streets and Shopping Centres saw similar drops of -2.5 per cent and -2.3 per cent respectively, while Retail Parks edged up slightly by +0.2 per cent, continuing to demonstrate their resilience. 'Despite the warm and sunny weather—more typical of peak summer than late spring—footfall didn't quite follow suit, suggesting that consumers may have favoured outdoor leisure over shopping. Still, May's result is a marked improvement on the -3.6 per cent seen in the same month last year and reflects a more stable trend in 2025 overall. 'Encouragingly, consumer sentiment has shown signs of improvement, with more shoppers feeling optimistic about their personal finances and the wider economy. Notwithstanding ongoing cost pressures, retailers will be looking to make hay while the sun shines—focusing on the right mix of experience, value, and convenience to convert seasonal footfall into sustained growth.' Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
