Thousands in damage as vandals smash windows at Lorne Arcade

The owners of Ayr’s Lorne Arcade have spoken out after thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused during an overnight vandalism attack.

Photo: Wood Property Group

Wood Property Group, which owns the arcade, described the incident as a “mindless act of vandalism” after CCTV captured two individuals inside the premises in the early hours of Saturday morning. Seven cameras recorded the incident and the footage has been reported to Police Scotland.

In a statement on social media, Wood Property Group said: “Thousands of pounds of damage, all caught on 7 cameras and reported to the police and you will get caught, charged, named, shamed and barred. The rise in vandalism, anti-social behaviour and assaults in the high street is very concerning now. If the levels continue at Lorne Arcade we will have no option to make the property more secure at night as we won’t allow mindless and costly vandalism to continue.”

The incident comes after councillors rejected a proposal in 2024 to install shutters at either end of the arcade. The owners had argued that the measures would help curb anti-social behaviour and protect businesses, while objections centred on concerns about blocking public access and the arcade’s conservation status.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 1pm on Saturday, 23 August, 2025, we received a report of vandalism to a premises on High Street, Ayr. Enquiries are ongoing.”

The vandalism has once again highlighted tensions between business owners seeking stronger security measures and the council’s responsibility to balance those concerns with public access through the historic arcade.