Local archive
Traffic & Construction
Ayr’s Auld Brig survived collapse, proposed demolition and a £10,000 funding challenge before preservation work secured its future. The historic bridge was reopened in its present form on July 29, 1910, after determined campaigning by architect James A Morris and support from Richard Oswald of Auchincruive.
Crime & Public Safety Fort
Ayr Sheriff Court featured in a weekly round-up covering five serious Ayrshire cases, including a two-year sentence for Kevin Goudie after racist abuse at a mosque and prison terms for assault and rape.
Community
Ayr Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets have received the Freedom of South Ayrshire, the first time the civic distinction has been awarded to a cadet organisation.
Culture Fort
Tens of thousands gathered at Ayr’s Low Green on Friday night for the International Ayr Show – Festival of Flight, featuring the Red Arrows, RAF Typhoon, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a funfair and an evening pyrotechnics display. Strong winds prevented the RAF Falcons from carrying out their planned parachute landing, while a US Air Force C-130J performed a flypast instead.
Sport Craigie
Ayr United have added midfielder Olly Whyte and striker Josh Landers to Gary Naysmith’s squad on loan, with both players available for the trip to Partick Thistle.
Crime & Public Safety Fort
Nicholas Krasewitz, 56, was sentenced at Ayr Sheriff Court after admitting offences involving 882 indecent images or pseudo-images of children found on his computer. He received a three-year community payback order, 250 hours of unpaid work, counselling and strict restrictions on contact with children and internet devices.
Business & Openings
The Ayrshire Farmers Market is set to return to the Cutty Sark Centre in Ayr on Sunday, September 6, with businesses from across the region offering food, drink and handmade products between 9am and 2pm.
Sport Craigie
Ayr United will travel to the WrightKerr Stadium this weekend seeking their first victory since the opening day of the season after a disappointing home draw with Morton.
Crime & Public Safety Alloway
Officers have released an image of a man they believe may assist an investigation into the theft of jewellery from premises on Alloway Street in Ayr. The item has been recovered, but enquiries remain ongoing.
Crime & Public Safety Fort
Callum Collie, 24, has been found not guilty of three charges following a jury trial at Ayr Sheriff Court involving alleged incidents in Ayr, West Kilbride and Troon.
Community Fort
Ayr beach toilet cubicle was closed after an indecent hole was reported, with South Ayrshire Council temporarily filling the opening and promising a replacement panel.
Crime & Public Safety
Police Scotland, South Ayrshire Council and other local partners are strengthening year-round education and community action to prevent violence against women and girls.
Crime & Public Safety Alloway
Police Scotland has released a CCTV image of a man officers believe may help identify the person connected with a jewellery theft from an Alloway Street premises in Ayr.
Education
An Ayr dance school is preparing to perform on one of Scotland’s biggest stages as it celebrates its 10-year anniversary.
Community Fort
South Ayrshire Council says it remains committed to finding a solution for the former Ayr Station Hotel site, which was damaged by fire in 2023 and partially demolished on safety grounds. Legal proceedings with the building’s owner remain ongoing.
Business & Openings
Tempura, the Ayrshire hospitality chain with a venue in Ayr, has won the Social Media Champion award at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2026.
Community
Lynn Rowan, a bank nurse at Ayr Hospital, has been struck off after an NMC hearing found five charges proved during a night shift involving a vulnerable patient with dementia.
Culture Fort
The RAF Red Arrows will open Friday evening at the International Ayr Show 2026, with the RAF Falcons, a Chinook and other military and civilian teams also scheduled to appear above Ayr shorefront.
Community
Ayr-based anxiety specialist Alan Currie has published his third book in a year, launched a registered charity and continued working with clients across South Ayrshire.
Traffic & Construction Fort
Ayr town-centre roads will close from the early hours of Thursday, September 3, until late on Saturday, September 5, as the International Ayr Show gets under way. A wider group of roads will have temporary closures with exemptions for residents.
Crime & Public Safety Fort
Dean Smart, 34, has been jailed at Ayr Sheriff Court after admitting a serious assault at the Athletic Tavern and in Dalrymple Street, Girvan, on August 8, 2025.
Traffic & Construction Fort
The International Ayr Show – Festival of Flight returns to Ayr’s seafront on Friday, September 4, and Saturday, September 5, with free entry, major aircraft displays, dedicated parking and shuttle buses planned for visitors.
Business & Openings
Plans for a pilot GP walk-in service in Ayr have been selected for further development under a Scottish Government national scheme, with the proposed service intended to improve access to primary care. NHS Ayrshire & Arran says more work, including a detailed business case, must be completed before approval.
Traffic & Construction Fort
ScotRail will increase services to Ayr for the International Ayr Show on Saturday, September 5, with express trains, extra shuttle services and rail replacement buses planned to manage demand.
Crime & Public Safety Fort
Kevin Goudie has been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to climbing onto the roof of the Al Farooq Education and Community Centre and Mosque in Ayr, attaching a ‘Stop the boats’ flag and shouting racist abuse. The sentence was backdated to June 15.
Education Heathfield
Gaenor Hardy, headteacher of Heathfield Primary School and Early Years Centre in Ayr, has thanked pupils, families and staff for their support as she temporarily steps away from the role.
Community
Ayr Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets have become the first cadet organisation in South Ayrshire to receive the Freedom of the Burgh, marking the unit’s 85th anniversary.
Education
LJM Dance, founded in Ayr by Prestwick teacher Lisa Wilson, will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2027 by taking hundreds of young dancers to Glasgow’s SEC Armadillo.
Traffic & Construction Fort
A new bus shelter with solar lighting has been proposed for Dunure Road outside Craig Tara Holiday Park, near Ayr, after concerns about winter access for staff and guests.
Education Craigie
Heartfelt tributes have been paid to Derek Ireland, known as Oilly, a lifelong Ayr United supporter from Lochside who died aged 60. A fundraiser organised by his friend Raymond Hall raised £1,900 to help his family with funeral costs.
