A multi award-winning mobile chip van has called for a review of a North Ayrshire Council licensing rule which it says is making it difficult to trade safely and effectively. Photo: Ayrshire Daily News Joanna’s Chippy Van, which serves communities across Ayrshire, has been in contact with the local authority regarding a condition attached to its itinerant licence. The rule restricts traders to a maximum of 20 minutes at any one location before they must move on. Owner Calum K

With GP practices being closed on Friday 3 April 2026 and Monday 6 April 2026, Ayrshire and Arran residents are being urged to check who to turn to if they need advice or support to cope with any common health concerns. Some community pharmacies will be open during this period and can answer questions on choosing and using the right medicine and provide easy-to-understand advice on treating everyday ailments. For information about how to access a wide range of healthcare serv

ScotRail services will not operate to or from Glasgow Central High Level until at least Wednesday (18 March), as demolition work begins at the nearby building on Union Street. With the site formally handed over to Glasgow City Council, a safe zone has been established to allow the council to finalise its assessment of the building and get the demolition process underway. As that zone extended to the station itself, it has not been possible for the necessary work to take place

South Ayrshire based Land Energy is thrilled to announce that it has been shortlisted for two prestigious industry awards in recognition of its continued commitment to innovation, sustainability and business excellence in Ayrshire and the wider region. The company has been confirmed as a finalist in the Resilience category by the Glasgow based Centre for Engineering, Education and Development (CeeD) at its Industry Awards. The awards celebrate innovation, excellence and colla

Colleagues from Stagecoach South Scotland in Ayrshire are preparing to lace up their walking boots once again for Kiltwalk 2026, marking the fourth consecutive year teams from the area have taken part in the event. The Glasgow Kiltwalk takes place on Sunday 26 April, with 45 places available for Stagecoach employees. Open to all abilities, the Kiltwalk is designed to be inclusive, sociable and enjoyable, bringing colleagues together in support of causes close to their hearts.

The Irvine Rivergate shopping centre will remain closed to the public this morning following a major fire overnight in the former forum building which is located next door to the Rivergate. The centre said via Facebook: 🚨 Urgent Update: Due to a fire at the Forum last night, the centre is currently closed. Please be aware of the following: No Access: There is currently no access through the Rivergate & all stores will remain closed at the moment. If you usually walk through

Ayr SNP MSP Siobhian Brown has welcomed the introduction of body worn video cameras for Police Scotland officers across Ayrshire.   The initiative, which started on 20 January 2026, will see frontline officers and police staff using the body worn devices as part of a national roll-out aimed at improving transparency, public confidence and safety.   More than 10,500 cameras are being introduced across Scotland, meaning once the roll-out is complete every frontline uniformed of

Ayr SNP MSP Siobhian Brown has welcomed the £88.2m increase in health spending in NHS Ayrshire and Arran in the SNP Scottish Government’s recent Budget. Image - UniMed   The funding - part of a record investment of almost £22.5 billion in the NHS in the Budget - will see funding for NHS Ayrshire and Arran increase from £1,006.6m in 2025-26, to £1,094.8m in 2026-2027 - an 8.8% increase.    The funding will help enable the expansion of the number of Hospital at Home beds to at

The 2026-27 Budget will support a stronger NHS, with a record £22.5 billion for health and social care, expand cost of living support and invest in Scotland’s infrastructure. Image - ScotGov Published alongside the latest multi-year Scottish Spending Review, Infrastructure Strategy and Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline, the draft Budget invests almost £68 billion including direct support for families and household budgets. The 2026-27 Budget includes:  a cost of living package

Five Scottish regions to benefit from a share of a new £140 million UK Government Local Growth Fund. Image - UK Gov Launched today [Thursday 8 January] by Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, the Local Growth Fund will help drive economic prosperity across Scotland. The five regions’ allocations from the programme over the next three years (26/27 - 28/29) are: Glasgow City: £60.9 million  Edinburgh & South East: £37.8 million Tay Cities: £19.5 million Ayrshire: £11.8 million

Landowners, community groups and local businesses managing green space are reminded that the Ayrshire Small Scale Tree Planting Programme is still open for applications, with grants of up to £1,000 available for planting trees in South and East Ayrshire within the UNESCO Biosphere region.   The programme is led by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership and supported by funding from South Ayrshire Council, Scottish Forestry, the Woodland Trust and Land Energy

NHS 24 staff worked tirelessly to ensure services ran smoothly during one of the busiest New Year periods on record. Despite high demand, teams across Scotland delivered safe, effective care and demonstrated extraordinary commitment to patients. On 2 January alone, NHS 24 answered over 10,000 calls, a figure among the highest daily totals ever recorded.   In the North East, heavy snowfall created significant travel challenges, but colleagues in Aberdeen and Dundee refused to

Celebrating Scotland’s first game since 1998. Image - iStock First Minister John Swinney will propose Monday 15 June 2026 is designated a national bank holiday to mark Scotland’s participation in the World Cup for the first time since 1998. This will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations in Scotland to celebrate after the men’s team play their opening game against Haiti in Boston. The First Minister said: “Scotland qualifying for the men’s World Cup was a rema

Murray Gee Mac is preparing to release a new single tomorrow marking another chapter in a long and varied musical career that began in his teens. Murray Gee Mac, who is from Ardrossan, will release Goodbye on tomorrow Monday 5 January. Lionel Richie wrote the song and country music legend Kenny Rogers originally recorded it. Known for its reflective lyrics and emotional depth, the ballad explores themes of love, loss and remembrance. Murray has recorded the song as a personal

The Kilmarnock FC first-team squad made a heartwarming visit to the children’s wards at University Hospital Crosshouse on Monday to help spread the Christmas spirit. Club captain Brad Lyons led a squad of teammates, spending time with many local babies, children and teenagers who will have to spend the Christmas period in hospital. The visit was not only an opportunity for the young patients to meet their football heroes, but also a chance for the players to connect with staf

Local man, Michael Kirkum, from Kilwinning has made another generous donation to the children’s ward at University Hospital Crosshouse. Michael approached local businesses asking them to make a contribution, and he received a staggering response. Michael delivered the festive gifts, including toys and over 1000 selection boxes, to delighted staff at the ward. The gifts will be distributed to those children who unfortunately have to be in hospital over the festive season. NHS

Stagecoach South Scotland is celebrating the countdown to Christmas with the launch of its first-ever Golden Ticket Giveaway, offering customers the chance to discover a £10 Love2Shop voucher on selected bus services across Angus, Perth & Kinross, Dundee, Fife, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. Beginning Monday 22 December, 150 Golden Tickets will be distributed across Stagecoach’s South Scotland, with customers encouraged to “keep their eyes peeled” for festive surprises on board. T

Ayr SNP MSP Siobhian Brown has blasted the UK Labour Government for failing to get a grip of a crisis at the DVSA after it was revealed waiting times of up to six months are likely to last for another year. Image - AA   The UK Labour Government, which has full responsibility for driving tests, previously pledged to cut waiting times down to seven weeks by the end of 2025 with Transport Minister Heidi Alexander declaring, “we’re acting fast to get Britain’s drivers moving” – b

Heavy and persistent rain may lead to flooding and travel disruption Valid 18:00 Saturday until 09:00 Monday - Covers all areas of Ayrshire. Outbreaks of rain will spread in from the northwest during Saturday afternoon and last through Sunday before finally clearing away on Monday morning. The rain will be persistent and heavy at times with accumulations 40-60 mm developing quite widely. Across high ground totals during this event could exceed 100 mm. Strong southwesterly win

More than 2,000 people in Ayrshire and Arran are waiting for a cardiac appointment.  The findings are detailed in Public Health Scotland’s Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme 2025, published last month.   The most recent data, for June this year, shows 2,403 people on the outpatient waiting list for cardiology, down from 2,574 in June 2024. That list is typically for people waiting for a consultation regarding an appointment with a cardiologist. The Scottish Government’s wait ti