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A LEGENDARY TV firm that have worked on RTE smash hits Love/Hate and Kin has shut down “with immediate effect”.

The award-winning studio, Windmill Lane Pictures, which was a pioneer in the Irish TV and film sector, has closed its doors.

BBC

RTE

The production company was originally based in Windmill Lane, but moved to Dublin’s Herbert Street.

The studio grew out of the legendary recording space where many stars have passed through since recording engineer Brian Masterson opened it in 1978.

Some of the great albums produced there include Kate Bush’s 80s classic Hounds Of Love, The Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge and Def Leppard’s Hysteria, along with several of U2’s.

Windmill Lane Pictures focused on post-production work for ads, TV and film, and worked on the beloved RTE series Love/Hate, Kin, Smother and Young Offenders as well as movies such as The Rifleman.

And despite their best efforts to stay afloat, the business is insolvent and no longer viable in its current form.

It is understood that the 31 employees were notified of the decision on Wednesday, January 8.

The company’s directors have released a statement that said: “The global film and post-production industry has faced significant headwinds in recent years, including increasing cost pressures, rapid technological changes, and the ongoing challenges of operating in a competitive international market.

“More recently, the extended writers’ and actors’ strike in the United States has caused a severe disruption to production pipelines worldwide, creating a knock-on effect that has impacted businesses across the film ecosystem, including ours.

“In addition to these global pressures, challenges on the domestic front have further compounded the difficulties faced by the business – the erosion of international competitiveness of the Section 481 VFX [visual effects] film tax credit has made Ireland a less attractive location for this type of work.

“Although we explored every available avenue, including attempts to secure additional capital and restructure the business, these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful in stabilising the company.”

The directors have expressed how “grateful” they are to their “talented and dedicated team”, as well as their trusted partners who they’ve collaborated with over the years.

The company’s focus now is to manage the “transition responsibly” and support their stakeholders.

COMPANY’S HISTORY

Windmill Lane was founded in 1978 as a recording studio and TV commercial post-production facilities and was set up by Brian Masterson and James Morris, who was later a founder of TV3 [now Virgin Media TV].

In 1990, the company split with Masterson moving Windmill Lane Recording Studios to Ringsend Road where it still thrives today.

Windmill Lane Pictures stayed on Windmill Lane until it moved to Herbert Street in 2009.

This is where they developed its visual effects (VFX) services and continued to work on major TV and film production

During the 2000s, the business worked with some major film and TV directors including Jim Sheridan, John Boorman and Neil Jordan.

SPACEX’S Starship is preparing for its seventh test flight next week, which will see the rocket attempt to deploy fake satellites in space.

It will be the first time the rocket has ejected payloads in orbit.

AFP

AFP

10 mock satellites that are a similar size and weight to SpaceX’s Starlink satellites have been crafted for the mission.

In a recent mission statement, SpaceX added that Super Heavy, the part of the rocket that gets Starship off the ground, will sport reused hardware for the first time.

It will use a Raptor engine from the booster that was launched and returned during Starship’s fifth flight test.

Lift off is scheduled for 13 January at 5pm EST / 10pm GMT from Starbase, in Boca Chica, Texas.

Starship has flown six times to date – twice in 2023 and in March, June, October and November of last year.

The October mission broke new ground when the booster – instead of falling to the ground – was caught midair in a “chopsticks maneuver” by mechanical arms on the launchpad.

The feat had never been done before, and is expected to be repeated in Flight 7.

Meanwhile, Starship’s 165-foot-tall upper stage, known as Starship, will splashdown in the Indian Ocean, as it did on its three most recent launches.

If all goes to plan, the launch will occur just three days after the first test flight of New Glenn, the first orbital rocket from Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin.

The 33-engine, nearly 400-foot-tall, rocket is the largest vehicle to have ever left the ground.

SpaceX owner Elon Musk has grand plans to turn Starship into the rocket that makes humans an interplanetary species.

In September, Musk, currently the richest man in the world, claimed the rocket would undergo crewed flights to Mars in as little as four years’ time.

Starship has been designed to be the vehicle that makes humans interplanetary, and house up to 100 people.

It is expected to take humans to the Moon through Nasa’s Artemis mission in mid-2027, and eventually to Mars.

China has been making increasingly firm announcements regarding its own launch plans for the Red Planet.

In November, a new study suggested China leave for Mars and return to Earth with samples of Martian soil roughly two years ahead of Nasa and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Similar to its plans for the Moon, China intends to send its first crew to Mars and set up a base for regular crewed missions in 2033, 2035, 2037, and 2041.

WE all want a hot sunny holiday abroad, but finding one that won’t cost a fortune (especially in this climate) can be difficult.

So we’ve done the hard work for you, and found not only the best places in Europe where you will find a number of cheap deals, but you can also easily head to the beach.

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Salou, Spain

Spain remains a much-loved Brit holiday destination for its amazing climate, food and of course cheap deals.

And one of the most affordable places to go is Salou in Costa Dorada.

The most popular beach is Levante Beach, with soft sand, sunbeds and enough eateries to keep you full all day.

And there is the nearby PortAventura World, one of Europe‘s best theme parks (and home to one of the world’s tallest rides).

CHEAP DEAL: We found a seven-night stay at Inter2 Salou with loveholidays for just £159 each, including your return flights from London Gatwick in May.

Sunny Beach, Bulgaria

The best deals will be found further east in Europe, which is where Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach comes in.

The town was purpose built as a holiday resort, so expect modern clubs and loads of beach bars right on the sand.

It’s clean too – Sunny Beach’s five-mile long stretch of sand is Blue Flag certified.

So if you can’t decide if you want a chill sunbathing day on the beach or a vibey night out on the town, its got you covered.

CHEAP DEAL: We found a seven-night stay at Sunny Day Club Hotel with Thomas Cook for just £206 each, including your return flights from London Luton in May.

Alamy

Monte Gordo, Portugal

The Algarve remains one of the cheapest places to visit in Portugal.

And one of the cheapest towns is Monte Gorde, on the eastern side.

The main beach is huge, and you can easily find cheap sunloungers to rent for the entire day.

Being a smaller town, it means you can also expect it to be a bit more laidback compared to the larger Algarve resorts.

CHEAP DEAL: We found a seven night stay at Alcazar Hotel with Travelsupermarket for just £342 each, including your return flights from London Gatwick in May.

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St Pauls Bay, Malta

St Paul’s Bay has some of the best beaches on mainland Malta, and is another great cheap option for a summer break.

There is the Qawra Point Beach, where tourists rave about how blue the water is, as well as the smaller Buġibba Perched Beach.

Hit up the harbour, do some shopping and wander the promenades for a good, all-rounder holiday.

CHEAP DEAL: We found a seven-night stay at Topaz Hotel with easyJet holidays for just £382 each, including your return flights from London Southend in May.

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Ayia Napa, Cyprus

Ayia Napa might be known as a party town, but that doesn’t mean you have to go all out.

And of course, Nissi Beach has some amazing clubs and bars lining it to make the most of.

But there is also the stunning Blue Lagoon, with bright blue waters, or for some fun, the huge Waterworld waterpark.

And history buffs can head to Ayia Napa medieval monastery, with buildings dating back as far as the 1100s.

CHEAP DEAL: We found a seven-night stay at Fedrania Gardens with loveholidays for just £209 each, including your return flights from London Gatwick in May.

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