Senior planning professionals and built environment experts from across Scotland and beyond gathered in Ayr on Thursday 4 June 2026 for the annual Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) Conference. Held at the University of the West of Scotland's Ayr Campus, the conference brought together leaders from local authorities, national organisations, and industry to explore how planning can respond to some of Scotland's most pressing challenges. Some of the topics discussed included hou

Ayrshire is in a strong position to sustain long-term digital growth, economic resilience and competitiveness thanks to their participation in the 5G Innovation Project. The region received £4.4million from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) team in 2024 to become one of ten 5G Innovation Regions (5GIR) across the UK. And a report, commissioned to assess the impact of the 5G Innovation Region Project, says the funding and support has

From Prestwick to the USA: David Quinn’s New Scotland Anthem Set for Take-Off Many people across Ayrshire will remember David Quinn from his days at Elliott’s in Prestwick, where he built up a loyal following through his DJ skills and larger-than-life personality. Now David is hoping to get Scotland supporters singing with a new football anthem called Scotland Party in the USA. The track was created with lyricist Simon Corbett, who flew to London to work with David on the son

Grassroots football clubs across Ayrshire are being given the chance to star in a national football series as Specsavers launches its search for the next team to feature in the latest season of its popular Best Worst Team programme. The initiative, now entering its fifth season, is looking for a struggling amateur side to receive expert support and guidance from some of the biggest names in football in a bid to transform their fortunes on and off the pitch. The campaign follo

More than 125 people gathered at University Hospital Ayr to celebrate this year’s Ayrshire Achieves awards. The event brought together staff from NHS Ayrshire & Arran and the three local health and social care partnerships to recognise outstanding contributions across health and social care in Ayrshire. Held in the dining rooms at University Hospital Ayr, the awards celebrated shortlisted finalists across a range of categories, with winners chosen following a public and staff

A community music event in Kilmarnock has raised £4,201 for two important causes. Music at the Park, held at The Park Hotel, brought together 268 people for an evening of live entertainment, laughter and community spirit. The proceeds from the event will be shared equally between The Killie Community and Alzheimer Scotland, supporting work that makes a real difference across Ayrshire. The evening featured a strong line-up of performers, including Jai McDowall and his father,

Families across North Ayrshire have made their voices heard as North Ayrshire Council officially confirmed its school term and holiday dates for the 2027/28 academic year. ​The newly-published calendar covers both mainland and Arran schools, mapping out exactly when classrooms will be open and when pupils can enjoy their well-earned breaks. ​Currently, North Ayrshire’s Education Service operates with two school holiday calendars - one for schools on the mainland and Cumbrae,

An Ayr woman has been banned from owning or keeping animals for three years after more than 20 animals, including newborn kittens and young puppies, were found living in appalling conditions inside her home. Claire Lammie was sentenced at Ayr Sheriff Court on 25 May after pleading guilty to offences under animal welfare legislation. The case came to light in July 2025 after a Police Scotland officer raised concerns about the welfare of animals at the property and contacted th

Scottish Water is advising customers to plan ahead for a one-day road closure in Darvel, East Ayrshire, with significant diversions in place. Essential maintenance work to replace three defective manhole covers means the A71 East Main Street will be closed to all traffic between the junctions with Glenbrig and John Morton Crescent from 930am to 6pm on Tuesday 30 June 2026. During these times the official diversion route will be via the A71, A726, A77 and A719 and vice ver

A talented young musician from Garnock Community Campus has earned national acclaim after being named runner-up at the prestigious Scottish Young Musicians Solo Performer Final. Jake Kenny, a pupil at Garnock Community Campus, represented North Ayrshire at the national event, held at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on Sunday 24 May. The competition featured competitors from all 32 local authorities across Scotland, along with a representative from the independent schools’

Girvan Tattie Fest will return this month with the support of South Ayrshire-based Land Energy, helping to keep the popular community event free for families and visitors. Now in its fifth year, the annual festival celebrates Girvan’s agricultural heritage and the famous Ayrshire Epicure potato. This year’s event takes place at Louisa Drive, Girvan, on Saturday 13 June, from 1pm to 5pm, with two large marquees in place to help weatherproof the day. David Bone, Communications

The month of celebration continues as Air China Prestwick’s freight flights mark their first anniversary, and Shanghai joins the destination list for Scottish exporters. Doug Maclean, Aviation Editor Ayrshire Daily News was invited to attend the anniversary of the first Air China flight arrival last week. We were delighted to meet a very special guest on the huge Boeing 777 freighter. Guohong Du is Air China’s General Manager Cargo for the UK and Ireland. She attended the cel

There is something reassuring about a family-run business that has spent decades building its reputation the old-fashioned way through hard work, reliability and word of mouth. That is the story behind J. Shearer Roofing Ltd, a company whose roots began in Glasgow more than 30 years ago before expanding its services across Ayrshire and beyond. Originally established as a local roofing business serving homes and businesses across Glasgow’s south side and west end, the company

A major programme of free and low-cost sporting activities has been launched across North Ayrshire as part of a nationwide drive to get more young people active. North Ayrshire Council is working in partnership with sportscotland on the £20 million 2026 Summer of Sport initiative, funded by the Scottish Government and facilitated by sportscotland. The programme will give young people aged three to 26 the chance to take part in a wide range of activities throughout the summer

A North Ayrshire Council partnership project has seen more than 30 homes on Great Cumbrae being fitted with solar panels and battery storage systems. The Millport Solar PV and Battery Project is a community-led, phased programme with three aims: ● reducing Scope 2 carbon emissions – resulting from grid supplied electricity ● tackling fuel poverty and ● building local energy resilience. It is part of the Carbon Neutral Islands (CNI) Project, which is a Scottish Government prog

Rare Spanish visitors draw an enthusiastic throng to Prestwick airport. Doug Maclean – Aviation Editor As I posted this morning, Prestwick hosted a very rare visit today by 4 Spanish Matador jets (EAV-8B Harrier II) of the Armada Española. The jets are based at the Rota Naval Station airport in Southern Spain. When at sea the Armada Española Matadors operate from the 230 metre long Juan Carlos 1. She is an aircraft and helicopter carrier equipped with a ski jump which assists

North Ayrshire Active Schools marked another major milestone in the lead-up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 this week as the North Ayrshire Commonwealth Baton Relay completed its journey from the mainland to Arran. The baton arrived on the island on Thursday 28 May following a successful tour of primary and secondary schools across the North Coast and the council’s six localities. In a memorable moment for pupils and organisers alike, the baton made its crossing aboard

An update on the progress of the Ardrossan Campus will be provided at a meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday. In a report to elected members, it will confirm that the new facility - which will incorporate an early years centre, primary and secondary school, library and swimming pool - will be completed at the end of May 2028 and open for its first intake of pupils a few months later in August. The revised timescales for the Campus are a result of recent works to remove contaminants

Exciting STEM events have been taking place in schools across East Ayrshire with over 1500 P6 and P7 children benefitting from the extensive programme. The events, organised by Gary Neilson, ICT co-ordinator in partnership with the Council’s IT Service, involved educators including VEX robotics – a leader in educational robotics, and the National Robotarium, the UK’s centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence based at Heriot-Watt University. The children were encouraged

Cannabis with an estimated value of £210,000 has been recovered in Newmilns. On Thursday, 28 May, 2026, officers searched three properties, one on Bridgend and two on Main Street. A 26 -year-old man was arrested and charged in connection and is due to appear at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Friday, 29 May, 2026. Detective Sergeant Allan Auld said: “Drugs cause misery in our communities and this recovery demonstrates our commitment to removing drugs from our streets. “We