Gas network company SGN is investing £2m to upgrade the gas network in Ayr to ensure local homes and businesses continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply. The project involves replacing old metal mains, reaching the end of their useful lives, with new plastic pipe which has a lifespan of around 80 years. This will help ensure local homes and businesses continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply long into the future. Following close consultation with South

Significant progress has been made in the ongoing operation to demolish the fire‑damaged Forum Centre in Irvine. Contractors working on behalf of North Ayrshire Council have been carefully dismantling the building following the major fire in early February. Recent high winds have slowed the process however, work will continue over the coming weeks to make the structure safe and secure the surrounding area. A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “This is a complex and del

An Ayrshire runner has been praised after raising vital funds for disadvantaged children by completing a major half marathon event. Lucy-Ann Bryson took part in the inaugural Paisley Half Marathon on Sunday, crossing the finish line in an impressive time of 2 hours and 17 minutes. Based in Ayrshire, Lucy-Ann used the challenge to support Cash for Kids West Scotland, surpassing her original fundraising target through her efforts. The money raised will go directly towards helpi

St Patrick’s Primary School in Troon has been recognised on the global stage after receiving the Intermediate level of the prestigious British Council International School Award. The award highlights schools that successfully embed an international dimension within their curriculum, helping young people develop the cultural awareness and skills needed for life and work in an increasingly connected world. Pupils at the school took part in a wide range of activities to achieve

This year, a pair of peregrine falcons - known as the fastest birds in the world - have chosen the spire of Glasgow City Chambers as their nesting site. Image - Bonnie - Glasgow City Council While peregrines are typically associated with coastal cliffs, it is extremely rare for them to settle in the heart of a busy urban area, making this a remarkable moment for local wildlife. The pair, affectionately named Bonnie and Clyde, are expected to lay their first eggs within the ne

By Aviation Editor Doug Maclean This major development will expand Ryanair’s existing Prestwick operation from 6 to 10 bays, taking more aircraft every week and creating 450 new engineer and mechanic jobs. The 11,938 square metre state of the art hangar will have space for 4 aircraft and a workshop where Ryanair can manufacture certain products for fitting in the aircraft going through the maintenance inspection and refit. This will makePrestwick the premier aircraft mainte

A 33-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a serious assault in Saltcoats. Between 1pm and 2pm on Saturday, 7 March, a 33-year-old man was seriously assaulted on Old Raise Road. The 33-year-old man was due to appear at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Thursday, 19 March, 2026. A report will be forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal.

By Aviation Editor Doug Maclean For many Ayrshire People the name Polar Air Cargo and then Atlas Air was synonymous with the many Boeing 747s which used to fly in from around the world for maintenance at the Polar “Jumbo” Hangar. That building is now the home of Storm Aviation who have a thriving aircraft maintenance business at Prestwick. Image - Airbus Atlas Air, who now own Polar Air Cargo, hit the headlines this week when they ordered 20 of the new Airbus A350 freighters.

Students at the University of the West of Scotland’s Ayr campus have completed a 24-hour live radio broadcast in support of a South Ayrshire mental health charity. Broadcasting through UWS Radio, the student team surpassed their original £500 target, raising £825 for Three Sixty, a local organisation providing mental health support across the area. The fundraiser was led by UWS Radio Station Manager Katy Watson, a third-year BA TV, Radio and Podcast Production student, alongs

Part of Glasgow Central Station’s high-level platforms will reopen on Wednesday following disruption caused by a major fire on nearby Union Street. Network Rail confirmed that a number of ScotRail and cross-border services will resume, with platforms seven to 15 on the west side of the station returning to use. The station was affected after a fire broke out in a Union Street building last Sunday, spreading through the structure and forcing the closure of the high-level stati

East Ayrshire Council has launched a new vocation training programme as part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal’s ambitions to upskill residents in Cumnock and Doon Valley, enabling them to access employment in the emerging electric vehicle and hydrogen automotive sector. The pilot project is a key component of the Community Renewable Energy project (CoRE) which will develop new skills pathways in creating a pipeline of skilled individuals aligned to the needs of local employers, wh

A new bin collection service will be rolled out in two phases starting in Cumnock and the surrounding area from May 2026, and Kilmarnock and the surrounding area from October. The new collection service will see the recycling trolley replaced with three separate wheeled bins for paper and cardboard, plastics and cans, and glass. Each of the new bins, along with the general waste bin, will be collected once every four weeks, while the food caddy will be collected weekly alongs

East Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet has agreed the Ayrshire Roads Alliance’s programme of investment works that will allow improvements to be carried out to carriageways, footways and street lighting, in addition to bridge strengthening and investment in transportation, traffic and road safety. For 2026/27 the overall roads capital budget will be £5.752 million, and a number of carriageway and footway schemes have been identified and prioritised for action. The investment will se

Detectives are appealing for information following a housebreaking and theft in Ayrshire. Around 6pm on Tuesday, 25 February, 2026, a property near the B739, between Tarbolton and Monkton, was broken into. Jewellery and clothing worth approximately £300,000 were stolen. It is believed two males were involved in the break-in and they would have needed access to a vehicle. A team of detectives has reviewed CCTV and carried out extensive enquiries in the local area. Detective Se

Pupils at Glencairn Primary school in Stevenston welcomed innovators from the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland this week for a very special STEM visit! Shining a spotlight on the power of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the unique learning experience was organised by education officers from North Ayrshire Council’s STEM team as part of British Science Week. Pupils were excited and had the chance to see Spot the Robot dog in action. Spot is a

This marks the end of firefighting at the site of the fire on Union Street, which resulted in the collapse of a historic Glasgow building, and the beginning of the recovery phase. Public safety remains the top priority and work will now begin to assess the remaining structure and establish a safe zone while this work is underway. SFRS will maintain a presence at the site to support partners. At its height, 18 fire appliances and specialist resources attended the fire, which w

Prestwick Leisure Club is making a big splash after its major refurbishment, with new figures showing soaring memberships, rising visitor numbers and major energy savings since reopening. Councillors on South Ayrshire Council’s Service and Partnerships Performance Panel were given an update on the popular facility on 10 March, following its reopening in October 2025 after an extensive transformation. The refreshed club has already delivered a strong performance, with active f

Detectives are appealing for information following an attempted robbery in Kilmarnock. Around 12pm on Sunday, 8 March, 2026, a 79-year-old woman was walking on London Road at it’s junction with Dunure Drive, when she was approached by a man who attempted to forcibly pull her bag from her. The woman was assisted by a member of the public before police were contacted. She was not injured during the incident but was left badly shaken. The suspect is described as male, aged 25-

The Broadway Cinema in Prestwick has taken another significant step towards its restoration with the arrival of an original Wurlitzer cinema organ, donated by a private collector and set to be installed once work on the building is complete. When the project is finished, The Broadway will become the only cinema in Scotland to house a fully operational cinema organ. The instrument has a rich history of its own. It was originally installed at the Ritz Cinema in Luton, formerly

New redeployable CCTV cameras are being installed in priority areas across East Ayrshire to tackle environmental crime and improve community safety. In May last year, Council agreed as part of the Strategic Review of Community Safety and Enforcement, to fund six new deployable cameras bringing the total across the area to 14. The cameras are currently being installed in areas that have been identified in partnership with key stakeholders, taking account of feedback from resid