Issue 066

I take some time to study Stuart McAlpine Miller’s works of art before our scheduled Zoom call. I’m no expert.

Ayrshire Magazine, in partnership with The Book Stewarton, invites you to enjoy its March/April selections.

I set off on a cold winter’s evening to a secret man cave to meet Sweetwater Band. Thanks to my driver we found the legendary place where the alchemy of music making takes place.

Max McGregor makes a big first impression. Not only is he commandingly tall and blessed with a shovel-sized handshake

Ayrshire’s business landscape is rich with ambition, innovation and community and at the heart of this stands Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, the region’s largest independent business network.

By spring, many of us are back in motion. Plans are no longer ideas scribbled in notebooks – they’re pitches, proposals, conversations, and introductions.

When leadership specialist and business coach Fiona Campbell-Arrand attended a networking event at The Mill House in Stewarton in 2025.

Business in Ayr does not stand still — and neither can we. Even in traditional sectors such as garden machinery hire, servicing and repair.

As golfers return to the course and tee times begin to fill up, we see the same pattern every spring.

In my previous articles on Ayrshire’s golf courses, I have attempted to give a flavour of how golf took the country by storm in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Ayr has a long habit of producing rugby players who understand that progress is earned rather than announced.

As winter slowly loosens its grip on Ayrshire’s landscape, there is a familiar sense of anticipation among anglers across the county.

When Billy Bowie first spoke publicly in late 2022 about investing £1.5 million in a new training ground for Kilmarnock FC

The sport of boxing has long been known for its physical benefits, particularly in relation to muscle strength, cardiovascular health, weight management, balance and coordination.

Joan O’Sullivan is the founder of Jets ASN Swim Academy (formerly Jets Swim Team) in Kilmarnock

Do you remember when NEXT first arrived on the scene starting a revolution in shopping? I think it was as far back as the early 1980s.

Chiff chaff, chiff chaff. For me, the insistent but cheery call of the aptly named chiffchaff always heralds the beginning of spring

Tucked away on the northern edge of Kilmarnock, the Craufurdland Countryside Walk is a rewarding escape for walkers who enjoy a sense of adventure and variety underfoot.

Paddy MacDonald is a Countryside Development Officer for East Ayrshire Leisure Trust. He is passionate about nature, especially birds of prey.

I was 17 when I took up my first job. A civil servant, no less. Not bad for a lad from the back streets of Coventry, if I say so myself.

How often do you think about the range of colours on your plate? Chances are you don’t until you have a vibrant, colourful plate of food in front of you that catches your eye.

During a recent conversation with an A and E doctor, I was interested to hear that from his perspective, those who are doing particularly well in their old age are women who walk and men who golf.

Have you ever experienced the kind of intense emotional reaction that leaves you unable to remember anything that was said or done after the event?

Supporters have welcomed a new chapter at BBSP Stadium, Rugby Park with the arrival of manager Neil McCann.

Tucked quietly between the Alps, the Adriatic and the forests of Central Europe, Slovenia is one of those rare places that surprises you at every turn.

As we say goodbye to those winter blues and start to welcome the first signs of spring, many of us are setting our sights on this year’s holiday adventure.

I arrive at Hillhouse distribution centre for a visit on a grim, grey morning, but the welcome inside is anything but.

When Marion Montgomery took ill with shingles in 2018, she was unable to continue working as a primary school teacher.

Cycling has become of growing interest to people of all ages who look for ways to improve their physical health and mental wellbeing.

This year, East Ayrshire Young Carers is celebrating 30 years as a charity. So, what better time to highlight the wonderful work they do to help hundreds of young carers every week?

The Broadway has made a star appearance on the BBC TV series, The Repair Shop on the Road!

As residents of Ayrshire, we’re lucky to share our county with an abundance of wildlife. Sightings of brown hares, grey seals, and red deer are not uncommon.

In the heart of Kilmarnock, one local outfit is proving that filmmaking isn’t just for the big cities – it’s thriving right here on our doorstep.

Mr Duguid has over 65 years’ experience in the meat trade. Along with his wife, Mrs Duguid, they have owned their own business (Pollok Williamson) since 1978.

Billy Bowie Special Projects Limited operates at the practical end of sustainability, providing waste management and recycling services that play a quiet but important role in reducing landfill use

Vertu Toyota opened in Ayr in 2024 as part of the Vertu group’s network of over 190 dealerships across the UK.

Beth Browning’s Bakery is a family business with a rich heritage. Since taking over the Kilwinning bakery and shop 25 years ago

The choices you make in your garden can play a powerful role in supporting biodiversity.

Operating throughout Ayrshire, Greater Glasgow and East Renfrewshire, Designer Garden Rooms Scotland is an award-winning business with a long history of turning dreams into reality.

Looking back on life, there are memories that stand so clear that whether they happened decades ago or just yesterday, each detail is a vivid image.

Performance Gym didn’t start with a grand business plan. It began very off the cuff — build the kind of gym Robert wanted to train in himself.