🧭 Fife Bus Routes Set for Major Overhaul

Good morning, Fifers! Autumn’s making itself at home now, the air’s cooler, the leaves are turning, and the nights are drawing in. Fingers crossed the first frost stays away just a wee while longer!

Here’s what’s coming your way today:

• Fife Bus Routes Set for Major Overhaul

• Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre Set to Reopen

• 56 Events to See This Week

Let’s jump in, there’s plenty to talk about!

— Duncan

TOP STORIES AROUND THE KINGDOM

🚌 Fife Bus Routes Set for Major Overhaul

There’s never a dull moment for Fife’s bus network, with Stagecoach frequently updating routes and timetables. We last reported on some major changes back in June, and now it looks like there’s another round of big updates on the horizon. You can view the full list of proposed changes here, but some of the biggest highlights include:

• 5: Reduced to weekday peak only; new express service X57 Duloch Park → Halbeath/Ferrytoll P&R → Edinburgh; X55 every 20 mins Queensferry Road → Edinburgh.

• 8A: Some journeys rerouted via A907, skipping Clackmannan; Clackmannan retains 2-hourly service.

• 38: Revised timetable with hourly frequency and no daytime gaps to facilitate school journeys.

• 40: New service replacing 42 (Glenrothes–Cupar) & X54 (Cupar–Dundee); all stops served; connects with X59; Dundee runs direct to bus station.

• 42: Now Tayport ↔ Dundee only, every 20 mins; evening & Sunday trips via 41; Glenrothes–Cupar/Dundee replaced by new 40.

• 42A/42B: 42A renumbered 42, Tayport–Dundee every 20 mins, late-night trip retained; Tayport–St Andrews withdrawn (other operators cover); 42B partly replaced by 41.

• 65: Extends to Perth Royal Infirmary; withdrawn beyond Newburgh → Cupar/St Andrews; alternatives X24, X59, 787, M&W 64.

• X24: Withdrawn 0800 Glenrothes → Dunfermline (low usage).

• X54/X54A: Replaced by extra X59 (Edinburgh–Glenrothes) & new 40 (hourly Glenrothes–Dundee); no through-service Dundee ↔ Edinburgh, connections via Cupar/Glenrothes.

• X57: New express service Duloch Park → Halbeath/Ferrytoll P&R → Edinburgh.

• X61: Extended to St Andrews, replacing X60; combined with X58 provides 2 buses/hour Leven/Kirkcaldy → Edinburgh; no Dalgety Bay (X58 covers).

The proposed changes are set to take effect at the end of November 2025, but they’re not yet final. Stagecoach is inviting feedback on the plans before implementation, so if you have thoughts or concerns, make sure to share them by September 30th via this form.

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LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🏒 Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky will make his first appearance at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Fife (2nd to the 5th of October), joining stars like Andy Murray, Michael Douglas, and top golfers at St Andrews. Get spectator tickets here.

• 🚧 The A985 Kincardine Bridge will close overnight on the 27th & 28th of September (7:30pm–6am) for maintenance, with a short diversion via Clackmannanshire Bridge adding around 8 minutes to journeys.

• 🥃 Falkland-based Saltire Rare Malt has debuted in the US, with its single cask whiskies now featured on menus at legendary steakhouses in Dallas, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans.

• ⛳ St Andrews Links Trust reported a £10.8m surplus on £48.5m revenues in 2024, with over 280,000 rounds played. Profits will fund major investments, including a £10.5m irrigation upgrade, clubhouse expansion, and junior golf programmes.

• 🏭 Fife Council will write to the First Minister seeking reassurances over Scottish Government funding for the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, warning that further cuts could impact vital community initiatives across the Kingdom.

• 🚌 Stagecoach has launched six new fully electric buses on its JET747 route, offering 24/7 direct connections from Fife to Edinburgh Airport with faster, quieter and cleaner journeys.

• 👨‍🍳 Michelin-starred chef Alex Dilling will launch the Old Course Hotel’s first-ever ‘Chefs’ Series’ in St Andrews on November 1st, followed by Irish chef Rachel Allen in March 2026.

• 🌡️ Jamie Craig-Gentles and Jayne McGhie, founders of Fife-based Wild Scottish Sauna, have been named among Scotland’s top 100 businesswomen in the annual BWS 100 Award.

• 🌱 Fife Council has demanded renewable energy developers boost community payouts, pledging new real-time mapping of projects after concerns over inadequate compensation.

FEATURE OF THE WEEK

Each week, this section shines a spotlight on something standout in Fife, anything from a unique home for sale or a new local business, to an exciting upcoming event or a hidden gem staycation spot. Got something you think other locals should know about? Just hit reply to this email and tell us about it!

🏋️ Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre Set to Reopen

Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre is set to reopen its doors on Monday, the 29th of September, following a major refurbishment that has transformed the venue into a modern community hub. The upgrade includes a bigger gym with a new fitness studio, a refreshed swimming pool area with upgraded changing facilities, and a new sauna and steam room. Outside, the synthetic turf pitch has been repurposed, and landscaping improvements have created safer, greener spaces around the site.

The centre will now also bring together a range of services under one roof. The Early Years provision has already returned, and OnFife’s library service will move from the High Street into the centre, aiming to open at the same time as the leisure facilities. [Fife Council]

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WHAT’S ON IN FIFE?

Below you’ll find what’s on in Fife over the next few days. For a longer outlook, Fife Insider+ members see two weeks of events every Sunday night. Please remember to double-check details with venues before travelling, as events can occasionally be cancelled or rescheduled at short notice, and some will require prebooked tickets.

📅 Tuesday, 23rd September

Walk ON - Casual and relaxing group promoting the health benefits of walking and socialising.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 11:00am | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Doodle with Dalilah - Come along and meet Dalilah the ragdoll therapy cat before enjoying a story, a draw-along, and a purr-fect paper craft.
📁 Family & Children | 🕢 3:30pm | 📍 Cadham Library | 🎟️ Free

Cheese and Wine Night - Enjoy a glass of wine of your choice and a chessboard.
📁 Food | 🕢 5pm | 📍 The Old Vic, St Andrews | 🎟️ £15

Paddlenight Splash - Staff will be on hand to assist you with selecting and launching equipment but remember this is not a taught course.
📁 Sport | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Lochore Meadows Country Park | 🎟️ £10.50

Translating Mothersland - Shahzoda Samarqandi and Shelley Fairweather-Vega join Dr Sarah Gear to explore Soviet legacy, ecocide, feminism and translation’s role in amplifying Central Asian voices.
📁 Talk | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £6+

Van Gogh Inspired Paint and Sip - Come and learn to paint a gorgeous ‘Starry Night’ inspired painting.
📁 Art | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Balbirnie House Hotel | 🎟️ £48

How Apollo Flew To The Moon - Join Apollo historian and author David Woods for a fascinating talk on how the Apollo program put humans on the Moon.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 The Kabin, Dalgety Bay | 🎟️ £2

Dreel Crafters - All skill levels welcome for knitting, crochet, scrapbooking, embroidery and more.
📁 Art | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ £3

Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Hilarious, heart-warming ride as three friends hit the road across the Outback to put on the show of a lifetime.
📁 Theatre | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Bowhouse, St Monans | 🎟️ £20+

📅 Wednesday, 24th September

Bike Tour of St. Andrews - Join Stuart’s Bicycle Tours for a fun, relaxed, and engaging guided ride through this iconic town and its stunning surroundings.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 9:30am & 2:30pm | 📍 11 College St, St Andrews | 🎟️ £46+

Kids' Den: Lego Club - Learn skills, meet people, have fun as you construct, create and chill out!
📁 Family & Children | 🕢 3:15pm | 📍 Methil Library | 🎟️ £2

Kids' Den: Lego Club - Learn skills, meet people, have fun as you construct, create and chill out!
📁 Family & Children | 🕢 3:30pm | 📍 Windmill Library, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £2

Dr James Rea - In conversation with the Chaplain, Donald MacEwan, as he discusses his career path to St Andrews.
📁 Talk | 🕢 5:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Paddlenight Splash - Staff will be on hand to assist you with selecting and launching equipment but remember this is not a taught course.
📁 Sport | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Lochore Meadows Country Park | 🎟️ £10.50

Bottega Spa Wine Tasting - Join us for an exclusive Bottega Spa Wine Tasting followed by dinner at The Physician.
📁 Food | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 The Physician, St Andrews | 🎟️ £50

Roo & Neil - Join us for a lively evening of traditional Scottish music with a talented fiddle & accordion duo.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Earlsferry Town Hall | 🎟️ £16.96

Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Hilarious, heart-warming ride as three friends hit the road across the Outback to put on the show of a lifetime.
📁 Theatre | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Bowhouse, St Monans | 🎟️ £20+

National Theatre Live: Inter Alia - Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike is Jessica in the much-anticipated next play from the team behind Prima Facie.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Crail Community Hall | 🎟️ £14

Chris McCausland: Yonks! - Masterclass in stand-up comedy that has literally been yonks in the making.
📁 Comedy | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £30

📅 Thursday, 25th September

Bike Tour of St. Andrews - Join Stuart’s Bicycle Tours for a fun, relaxed, and engaging guided ride through this iconic town and its stunning surroundings.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 9:30am & 2:30pm | 📍 11 College St, St Andrews | 🎟️ £46+

Tea, Trees 'n Tots - Enjoy connecting with nature through creating with natural materials, stories, time to just be and tasting wild foods!
📁 Family & Children | 🕢 10am | 📍 Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £6.13

Bookbug - Sing, rhyme, and share stories with your little ones.
📁 Family & Children | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Hard Truths - Character study of a middle-aged Londoner whose caustic demeanour and unrelenting criticism alienate her family and friends.
📁 Movie | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £6.50+

Dreel Crafters - All skill levels welcome for knitting, crochet, scrapbooking, embroidery and more.
📁 Art | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ £3

Kids' Den: Lego Club - Learn skills, meet people, have fun as you construct, create and chill out!
📁 Family & Children | 🕢 3:30pm | 📍 Duloch Library | 🎟️ £2

Game ON - Casual gaming club with a huge range of board games.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 5pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Paint and Sip: Paint by Numbers - Get your creative juices flowing and join us for an evening painting by numbers.
📁 Art | 🕢 5:30pm | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20

Paddlenight Coach - Weekly coaching sessions for individuals with some basic experience of paddling.
📁 Sport | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Lochore Meadows Country Park | 🎟️ £16

Paddlenight Splash - Staff will be on hand to assist you with selecting and launching equipment but remember this is not a taught course.
📁 Sport | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Lochore Meadows Country Park | 🎟️ £10.50

The Stag & The Hound - Darkly funny, intelligent script, textured and tonally intriguing.
📁 Theatre | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 King's Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £10

National Theatre Live: Inter Alia - Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike is Jessica in the much-anticipated next play from the team behind Prima Facie.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £13.50+

Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Hilarious, heart-warming ride as three friends hit the road across the Outback to put on the show of a lifetime.
📁 Theatre | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Bowhouse, St Monans | 🎟️ £20+

Kinky Boots the Musical - Story of Charlie Price who has reluctantly inherited his father’s Northampton shoe factory.
📁 Theatre | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £18

The Sensational 60s Experience - Festival of nostalgia that will have you stepping back in time to that magical decade of music and memories.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £31

Singers Night - Evening of folk music with the Crail Folk Club.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Crail Community Hall | 🎟️ £2

📅 Friday, 26th September

Artisan Fridays Market - A lively weekly food market offering hot & cold food on Kirkcaldy High Street.
📁 Markets | 🕢 9am | 📍 Kirkcaldy High Street | 🎟️ Free

Macmillan Coffee Morning - This September we are pleased to be taking part, once again, in the World's Biggest Coffee Morning.
📁 Food | 🕢 10am | 📍 Craigtoun Country Park | 🎟️ Donations

Little Niblicks: Numbers - Bring along your baby or toddler to enjoy the sights and sounds of the museum.
📁 Family & Children | 🕢 11am | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Charity Quiz Night - Raising money for Alzheimer's Scotland and Brittle Bone Society.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6pm | 📍 King's Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £7

Friday Night Slides - 1/10th scale Electric RWD Drift cars only, and must be running Buzz Break or DS Racing LF4 tyres.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Parkgate Community Centre, Rosyth | 🎟️ £5+

Life Drawing - Artists of all levels welcome, from those established to those just curious to try life drawing or starting out.
📁 Art | 🕢 6:45pm | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ £7

Soul Station - Resident DJ Martin Duffy keeps us entertained, so bring your dancing shoes.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £9.38

James V: Power, Propaganda and Politics - Join us in the Chapel Royal with Senior Lecturer, Amy Blakeway, for a fascinating talk on James V.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Falkland Palace | 🎟️ £9.50

Lhamo Grace Live in Fife - Songs, music, banter, laughs, silliness, seriousness, beauty + joy.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 BArty's, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £16.75

Hamilton - In celebration of the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Broadway production, Hamilton comes to the big screen.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £6.50+

Kinky Boots the Musical - Story of Charlie Price who has reluctantly inherited his father’s Northampton shoe factory.
📁 Theatre | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £18

Buddy Holly and the Cricketers - All Holly’s hits, and some from his rock ’n’ roll pals, are played live on stage by these five amazing young actor-musicians.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £26

Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Hilarious, heart-warming ride as three friends hit the road across the Outback to put on the show of a lifetime.
📁 Theatre | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Bowhouse, St Monans | 🎟️ £20+

Rewrite the Night: Student Late - Get ready to party and make new friends as Inklight take over the Wardlaw Museum.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Wardlaw Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £8+

Chris McCausland: Yonks! - Masterclass in stand-up comedy that has literally been yonks in the making.
📁 Comedy | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £30

🎉 Multi-Day Festivals & Exhibitions

Unearthed - Step back in time to discover how Scotland was formed and explore prehistoric creatures.
📅 Sat, 8th February - Sat, 27th September | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Museum | 🎟️ Free

Rewrite the Future - Explore how today's choices can shape a fairer, more sustainable tomorrow.
📅 Sat, 31st May - Sun, 28th September | 🕢 9:45am | 📍 Wardlaw Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Fife Climate Festival - Month-long celebration of community climate action across Fife.
📅 Sat, 20th September - Sun, 19th October | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Fife | 🎟️ Varies

The Lost Words - Featuring original artwork by artist Jackie Morris and spell-poems by writer Robert Macfarlane.
📅 Sat, 28th June - Sun, 26th October | 🕢 10:00am | 📍 Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Jack Vettriano Exhibition 2025 - Collection of Jack Vettriano prints, including rare and sold-out pieces.
📅 Tue, 4th March - Tue, 28th October | 🕢 10:00am | 📍 Affordable Arts, Methil | 🎟️ Free

Bunker Shots: Stories of Golf and Conflict - Surprising connections between golf and conflict, including the impact on golfers and their equipment.
📅 Fri, 18th April - Tue, 31st March 2026 | 🕢 9:15am | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £17.50

Fife Insider+ members got these events two weeks early. Upgrade today to get 25% off for your first 3 months and get an extended event outlook every Sunday.

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THANKS FOR READING

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Cheers,

Duncan

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