thanks to a group of party animals who like New Year's Eve so much they plan to celebrate it twice.

With the help of the supersonic jet Concorde, which has been chartered for a mere $400,000, one hundred revellers are flying from London to Ireland to bring in the New Year for the first time at a special televised party.

Ten minutes into 1993 (Irish time), they will reboard Concorde for Bermuda -- a journey which it is estimated will take just 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Passengers will literally travel back in time, since they are scheduled to arrive at Bermuda's airport at 11.20 p.m. -- the previous day, that is! The Black tie guests will be hurried through the terminal, bypassing all the usual chores like baggage collecting and customs queues, will be put into a fleet of private taxis and whisked off to Fourways Inn, the plush restaurant of the rich and famous.

There, they will be greeted by Tourism Minister the Hon. C. V. (Jim) Woolridge and Fourways owner Walter Sommer, who is arranging for a huge lit-up clock to be erected on the grounds of the restaurant so the time-travellers can count in the New Year for a second time, with the help of a few glasses of top quality champagne, of course.

Organiser Mr. Eric Barton said: "Passengers will start off in 1992, go into 1993, go back into 1992 and end up once again in 1993. What an experience! What a trip! "There will be no better way of celebrating the New Year anywhere in the world. It'll be the party of a lifetime, with no expense spared.'' An entry in the Guinness Book of Records is what he's aiming for, and he said: "The celebration in Bermuda is the one that will make its mark in history and secure us a world record.'' Bermuda was chosen because "we needed to go somewhere that had style, luxury and was chic'', he added.

After a day of activity on the Island, passengers will get back on Concorde for a trip to New York. On this leg of the marathon, all boarding passes will be raffled, with the lucky winner receiving a $10,000 spending spree voucher for Bloomingdale's luxury store, in the Big Apple.

The cost of this trip to heaven? Just $6,320, which is cheaper than the price of a ticket for a scheduled transatlantic flight on Concorde.

Passengers will include journalists from The Sunday Times and Capital Radio, of London.

Mr. Barton, who came up with the idea more than a year ago because it seemed "a fun thing to do'' has set up UK-based Atlantic Time Tunnel Ltd. especially to arrange the event.

He would love to have a party of Bermudians take part in the goings-on. Anyone interested should call him or co-organiser Mark Moss on 011-44-992-581-712.

SOMERS IS JUST THE TONIC (Somers is just the tonic: Bermuda's founding father Sir George Somers is about to become immortalised in the United States, where a bottle of gin has been named after him.

Somers Gin combines a distinctive British Gin with a hint of citrus and other natural flavours, say manufacturers Joseph E. Seagram & Sons.

Advertising splurge for the product circulating in the US states: "Made from choice botanicals, Somers has not only the characteristic body and taste that distinguishes gin, but also offers cocktail drinkers something unique -- a twist.'' It adds: "Named after the fabled British explorer and founder of Bermuda, Sir George Somers, this premium spirit encompasses the treasured traditions of Great Britain with the relaxed ambiance of Bermuda to create a classically modern potable.'' The product is being test marketed in California, New Jersey and Connecticut.

If reaction is positive, Somers Gin could be available in Bermuda sometime next year.