An Ayrshire man has been banned from owning animals after keeping his pet dog and tortoise in squalor Ronan Jackson was sentenced at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday 21 April to a Community Payback Order and has been placed under supervision for one year.    He was also handed a disqualification order for owning and keeping animals for five years, after failing to provide his Border Collie Meg and pet tortoise Pebble with a safe and sanitary living environment, exposing his dog t

From Sunday 3rd May, Stagecoach bus fares will increase in price across Scotland.     Image - Stagecoach   Stagecoach has said: “These decisions are never taken lightly. The changes reflect the rising costs of running our services and ensure we can continue to invest in what matters most – delivering reliable, sustainable bus services for our customers and communities. As a result, prices of Single, DayReturn, DayRider, Flexi 5 & 10, 7 day and 4 week MegaRider, and MegaRider

Residents and interested parties are invited to view the final plans for 43 modern, energy efficient homes at the site of the former Fullarton high flats. Following the completion of demolition of the five tower blocks in late 2023, North Ayrshire Council will give the site a new lease of life with the creation of 36 general needs homes, four amenity bungalows and three properties suitable forwheelchair users.   A drop in event to view the final plans is scheduled to be held

North Ayrshire Council’s Ranger Service and country park staff have shared their disappointment following the discovery of significant damage caused by illegal, off-road vehicle usage at Eglinton Country Park. Taking place during the Easter weekend, the park's busiest weekend of the year for families to visit, several locations have been affected with water pooling and tyre marks now prominent in key areas including the perimeter lawn of Eglinton Castle and land adjacent to t

Staff and pupils at a North Ayrshire school are burying a time capsule as part of celebrations marking its 50th anniversary. Skelmorlie Primary school turns 50 this year and the time capsule will contain: a letter from each class and Early Years for future children, explaining what it is like to be a pupil in their class in 2026. This will include a mixture of writing and drawing class photographs showing the children as well as their classroom environment and a letter from t

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

North Ayrshire Council has confirmed that ongoing repair works to the Allt Mor Bridge on Arran’s String Road will need to be extended after further inspections revealed more extensive repairs are required. The additional works mean that, when repairs resume in late April, a full road closure will be necessary to allow specialist plant and equipment to safely access the bridge and carry out the repairs. The council is aware of concerns about the impact of the works, particular

Talented young musicians from across North Ayrshire were celebrating an exceptional weekend of musical achievement. North Ayrshire Music Service celebrated a landmark success with ensembles excelling at both the Ayrshire Music Festival and the Scottish Concert Band Finals in Perth. Ayrshire Music Festival’s Ensemble Day Over 200 pupils from across the three Ayrshires took part, with North Ayrshire ensembles delivering standout performances. The Junior String Ensemble impresse

Stagecoach South Scotland has secured more than £4.5 million in funding from the Scottish Government to support the full electrification of its bus operations in Arbroath and Ardrossan. The funding, awarded through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund, will contribute to a wider investment of almost £18 million to transform both depots into fully electric operations by 2027. A total of 44 new zero emission buses will be introduced, with 23 vehicles allocated to Arbro

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

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.

A Council programme that helps care experienced young people to map out their next steps in life is open now for applications. First Steps is an employability initiative that runs four times over the course of a year for care experienced North Ayrshire residents aged 16 to 24. It offers opportunities in activities such as food hygiene, cooking, barista skills, team building, First Aid, the Duke of Edinburgh Award and a host of other group and interactive training sessions. Mo

A local horticultural group are celebrating after receiving a substantial financial boost that will help ‘grow’ their organisation. The Three Towns Growers will receive just under £25,000 over two years from North Ayrshire Ventures Trust (NAVT) to help them establish their Hub. The money - £12,420 each year – will help them install and purchase Heat Recovery Ventilation Unit (MVHR), Air Conditioning Heat Pump (ASHP) and Solar (Photovoltaics) to help develop the The Hub, which

Construction work to deliver a major upgrade to one of North Ayrshire’s most important roads is now officially underway. A groundbreaking event yesterday (Thursday, 12 March 2026) officially marked the start of construction on the first phase of the B714 upgrade. This follows the UK Government’s formal approval of North Ayrshire Council’s Full Business Case for the project, paving the way for the £34.7million investment to move ahead. The transformational scheme will bring su

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

North Ayrshire Council’s Capital Budget will deliver investment worth more than £324 million in the coming years to help support communities and residents. The Capital Budget supports investment in buildings, infrastructure and regeneration projects and the newly-approved programme will see a focus on a number of major developments across North Ayrshire. The rolling programme - approved by Elected Members yesterday (Wednesday 25 February) - will see investment in North Ayrshi

North Ayrshire Council has approved its Budget for 2026/27 after a meeting of Elected Members. This was recognised as a particularly challenging budget to set as the Council had to deal with a major funding gap, particularly related to health and social care services. Following a series of votes, elected members agreed to raise Council Tax by 8.5 per cent from April. This is comparable with other Council Tax increases already approved in Scotland and reflects the determinatio

Scotland’s ultimate new spa break destination has opened its doors to visitors on the Ayrshire coast, just 40 minutes south of Glasgow.   Boasting commanding sea views over the Firth of Clyde towards the Isle of Arran, the family-run Waterside Hotel at West Kilbride has unveiled its stunning new sea-view spa and restaurant this week following a major £3 million development.   Owned and operated by SimpsInns, The Waterside Hotel & Spa is now home to one of the most exciting le

The Waverly has started her winter refit programme at the James Watt Dock in Greenock. This is part of a programme of restoration and repair that will see more than £500,000 spent on her this year. She will sail regularly from Largs in 2026 and is also expected make some sailings from Ayr and Troon during the this summer’s Clyde Sailing season from 26th June to 30th August. Details of the summer sailing programme will be released mid-March. Bookings will be possible at that t

Detectives are appealing for information following a housebreaking in Kilwinning. Between 2.30pm and 6.30pm on Sunday, 8 February, a property was broken into on Dalry Road. A five-figure sum of cash was taken as well as jewellery worth an estimated six-figure sum. Detective Sergeant Tracey Tomkinson said: “Our enquiries are ongoing and I would ask anyone who was in the area around those times and saw anything suspicious to please get in touch with us. “Anyone in the local are