Ayrshire councils launch shared growth partnership

North Ayrshire Council and East Ayrshire Council have launched a new Shared Economic Development Service aimed at strengthening economic growth across the region. The partnership officially began on June 1 and will focus on delivering key regional priorities, including the Ayrshire Regional Economic Strategy and the Ayrshire Growth Deal. The new service will be led by North Ayrshire Council, with staff from both authorities transferring under TUPE arrangements. Council leaders say the initiative will provide a stronger regional voice when […]

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United unveil newly named stand

Ayr United have announced that the club’s North Stand will be renamed in honour of Alex Smith ahead of the 2026/27 season. The stand at Somerset Park, which was upgraded last year, will officially become The Alex Smith Stand from the start of the new campaign in July. The decision was approved at a board meeting in May, with work expected to be completed next week. Alex Smith was the father of current chairman David Smith and introduced him to […]

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Foodbank celebrates MBE for champion Milligan

An Ayrshire foodbank has congratulated a "dedicated" woman after being awarded an MBE for years of service to the community. South Ayrshire Foodbank took to social media to praise Wilma Milligan, coordinator of the Maybole Hub, on being presented the honour from the Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran on 30 May. Milligan's work has led colleagues, who were in attendance to witness Saturday's ceremony, to believe the title is "richly deserved" for someone they view with "kindness, compassion, and […]

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Rare Spanish jets draw Prestwick crowds

Huge crowds gathered around Prestwick Airport on Sunday to watch the arrival and departure of four rare Spanish Harrier jets. The aircraft, known as Matadors or EAV-8B Harrier II jets, flew into Prestwick from Santiago de Compostela in Spain on May 31. Aviation enthusiasts tracked the flights for days beforehand, with large numbers turning out at viewing points around the airport. The jets later departed for Iceland and Greenland and are believed to be heading towards the United States ahead […]

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Lowland League West plans confirmed

Promotion and relegation plans have now been confirmed for the new Lowland League West ahead of its inaugural season later this year. Several Ayrshire clubs are preparing to compete in the reconstructed fifth tier of Scottish football, including Auchinleck Talbot, Cumnock Juniors, Troon FC, Largs Thistle, Kilwinning Rangers and Beith Juniors. League champions will enter a round-robin play-off with winners from the Lowland League East and Highland League for the chance to face the bottom club in SPFL League Two. […]

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Celeb chef to bring luxury dinner

Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc OBE is set to host a luxury five-course dinner at Dumfries House this summer in aid of The King’s Foundation. The special event, titled An Evening With Raymond Blanc, will take place on Friday, July 17 at the East Ayrshire estate. Guests will enjoy a champagne reception, a Q&A hosted by broadcaster Catriona Stewart, and a five-course dinner with paired wines. The menu has been created by The King’s Foundation Executive Chef Tom Scoble using organic […]

02/06/2026 66

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Girvan RNLI recover liferaft

Girvan RNLI crews were called into action on Friday, May 29 after reports of an unknown object floating off the South Ayrshire coast near Turnberry. Just after 8pm, volunteers launched the Shannon Class lifeboat Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan following reports of an orange and black object in the water near the Dipple area. The crew were guided to the scene by Girvan Coastguard Rescue Team and discovered an upturned liferaft. After checks confirmed nobody was in the water or inside […]

02/06/2026 32

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Young Medda chase title at Dean Park

A young Irvine Meadow side is on the brink of league title glory as the club’s 2013 team prepare for their final Ayrshire Youth Football League Premier League match. The North Ayrshire side travel to face Dean Thistle on Wednesday, June 3 knowing that just one point will secure the championship. The team have completed 14 of their 15 league matches so far without defeat, winning 12 and drawing twice in what is their first full year in competitive football. […]

02/06/2026 31

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Prestwick firm ensure business as normal

Bosses at Prestwick engineering firm Wallace McDowall have reassured staff that it is “business as usual” after the company entered administration. A newly formed company has now taken over operations at the Glasgow Prestwick Airport site following what management described as a “structural change.” In a memo to employees, bosses confirmed that jobs and existing employment conditions would transfer to the new company under TUPE regulations. Wallace McDowall, originally founded in Ayr in 1969, previously employed around 200 people and […]

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