🧭 Fife Chippies Dominate Scottish Awards

Good morning, Fifers! It’s been a chilly start to the week, we even had to scrape ice off the car yesterday morning. In Friday’s newsletter, we asked how likely you thought it was that a new Rosyth ferry would launch in 2026. With over 50% of you deeming it quite unlikely, we’re certainly not getting our hopes up!

Here’s what’s coming your way today:

• Fife Chippies Dominate Scottish Awards

• Parking Charges Proposed for Fife Park

• 41 Events to See This Week

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

— Duncan

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🌳 Parking Charges Proposed for Lochore Meadows

Parking charges could be introduced at Lochore Meadows to help cope with the country park's growing popularity, Fife Council has confirmed. With more than a million visitors a year, the extra income would help pay for staffing costs and increased maintenance.

The announcement came as councillors heard a report highlighting a period of significant progress at the Meedies over the last six months, including major infrastructure improvements, record-breaking events and expanded education programmes.

Recent improvements include new planters, better signage, biodiversity projects, enhancements to Fairy Wood, improvements to the Willie Clarke Centre reception area, and an outdoor shower for watersport users and swimmers. New paths have completed a loop round the loch, up to 100 parking spaces have been added, and 21 motorhomes can now be accommodated. [Central Fife Times]

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🌿 A Kirkcaldy-based tourism business, Best of Scotland Holidays, has donated £1,650 to Fife Coast & Countryside Trust to support conservation of paths, nature reserves, and outdoor sites through the Big Green Footprint Scheme.

• 🏆 BRAG Enterprise, a long-established Fife charity supporting employability and skills development in disadvantaged areas, has been named ‘Social Enterprise of the Year’ at the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland, marking 36 years of community impact.

• 🏗️ A £100,000 transformation is underway in Cardenden as work begins on the new Denfield Avenue play park, featuring inclusive equipment like a 5-way swing, boogie spinner, rope-bridge towers and more, with opening expected by mid-December.

• 🏡 A £1.3m regeneration of Ravenscraig Walled Garden in Kirkcaldy is nearing completion, transforming long-derelict buildings into a new Skills Hub, restored stone sheds and future community spaces set to boost local training and employment.

• ♻️ Whitegates Recycling Point in Kelty has been upgraded with new bins and clearer signage to tackle misuse and fly-tipping, ensuring the facility remains accessible for responsible recycling.

• 📜 Scotland’s 500-year-old St Andrews Chronicles will go on public display for the first time this November at the Wardlaw Museum, revealing rare handwritten insights into William Wallace, the Stone of Destiny and early Scottish identity.

• 🚂 Lochore Meadow’s iconic wee train is set to return on Wednesday after an almost four-year restoration, with new parts, a fresh coat of paint, and full safety upgrades, thanks to volunteer efforts from local restorer Keith Brown and Smeaton Services.

• ⚠️ As reported in The Courier, fears are growing over the future of Fife’s Mossmorran Ethylene Plant as ExxonMobil explores selling or potentially shutting the site, raising concerns for around 500 jobs connected to the plant.

FEATURE OF THE WEEK

🐟 Fife Chippies Dominate Scottish Awards

Fish and chip shops across Fife have been winning accolades at the 2025 Scottish Fish and Chip Awards, with businesses in St Andrews and Anstruther picking up multiple wins and commendations.

Cromars Classic Fish and Chips in St Andrews took home the Best Menu award and was also highly recommended for the Best Fish Supper in the East. However, that wasn't it for St Andrews, with The Tailend being highly recommended in the Best Dine-In Fish & Chips category. The Crail Fish Bar & Café was also highly recommended for Best Fish Supper in the East.

Of course, no best chippy award would be complete without Anstruther getting a mention, though this time, it wasn't just the ones you'd usually expect winning the awards. Fish and Chips on The Waterfront in Anstruther won Best Chip Shop in the East, Fish & Frites was highly recommended in both the Best Mobile Fish & Chip category and Best Fish Supper in the East, and well-renowned Anstruther Fish Bar and the Wee Chippy were highly recommended in the Best Seaside Fish & Chips category. Anstruther really is spoiled for choice!

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WHAT’S ON IN FIFE?

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, 18th November

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

Art and Design Fun - Join us for engaging sessions in comics, animation, drawing, weaving crafts, photography, papier-mache, and puppetry.
📁 Art | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ Free

T. F. Muir - Chat, Q&A + book signing with Scottish Crime Writer T. F. Muir.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Cadham Library | 🎟️ £3

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

📅 Wednesday, 19th November

Christmas Craft Fayre - Christmas gifts, woolens for sale, and stocking fillers for 50p. The Coffee Shop will be serving its baking and light lunches.
📁 Markets | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Fife Folk Museum | 🎟️ Free

Casablanca - As pantomime takes over the building, join us for a short season of films that will take you back.
📁 Movie | 🕢 11am | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5

Late Night Christmas Market - With our usual high standard of local makers and artists, this will be a Christmas shopping event not to be missed.
📁 Markets | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Cupar Corn Exchange | 🎟️ Free

Sip & Paint with Peipei’s Palette - Slow down, sip something lovely, and let your creativity flow freely.
📁 Art | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Louie Browns, Dalgety Bay | 🎟️ £33

Hand-Knotted Bracelet with Fiona - Learn a hand-knotting technique used to string gemstone beads and create a beautiful piece of bespoke jewellery.
📁 Art | 🕢 7pm | 📍 60 High Street, Burntisland | 🎟️ Free

D'Arcy Thompson: Pioneer of Life Sciences - Former Curator of the St Andrews Heritage Museum will speak on D'Arcy Thompson.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 St Andrews Bowling Club | 🎟️ £9

Killer Couples - Killer Couples is not just another true crime show; it’s a riveting exploration of romance gone horrifically awry.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £27.50

Simon & Oscar - Join Simon Fowler and Oscar Harrison of Ocean Colour Scene for an unforgettable acoustic evening packed with iconic Britpop hits.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £32.50

📅 Thursday, 20th November

Scottish Organic Gathering 2025 - Event bringing together new and established organic businesses to shape the next chapter for Scottish organic.
📁 Food & Drink | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Bowhouse, St Monans | 🎟️ Free

Layers of Time - Two leading authors discuss their lives, geological insights, and the processes that have shaped Earth’s history.
📁 Talk | 🕢 1pm | 📍 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church | 🎟️ Free

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

A Century of Kirkcaldy Galleries: Curator’s Tours - Join our curators for a guided tour through this landmark exhibition, sharing insights, untold stories, and more.
📁 Tour | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Shortbread Baking - Enjoy making a traditional Scottish Shortbread Round with Tricia.
📁 Food | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Greener Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

Stick Man - The award-winning stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s beloved tale.
📁 Stage | 🕢 4:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £16

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

Grantchester & More With James Runcie - Join bestselling author James Runcie for a thought-provoking event exploring The Grantchester Mysteries and his work.
📁 Talk | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Earlsferry Townhall | 🎟️ £15.75

A Fairytale For Christmas - The ultimate Irish-inspired Christmas concert.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £30.50

Between the Sandhills and the Sea - A special evening honouring authors and social campaigners Vera Brittain and Winifred Holtby.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £5+

Pete Coe - Pete Coe has had more than 50 years of music-making on the English folk scene.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Crail Community Hall | 🎟️ £12.90

📅 Friday, 21st November

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

Creative Craft Club For Adults - Come and enjoy a regular Friday morning of creativity.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Letham Village Hall | 🎟️ £13.50

Stick Man - The award-winning stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s beloved tale.
📁 Stage | 🕢 10:30am & 1:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £16

Sparkle for CHAS - Add a little sparkle to your Friday and join us for a ladies’ lunch in the Winter Garden.
📁 Food | 🕢 12pm | 📍 The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews | 🎟️ £100

Festive Wild Cocktail Workshop - Afternoon, including a foraging walk, exploring and identifying edible plants, followed by cocktail mixing and tasting.
📁 Food & Drink | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Bowhouse, St Monans | 🎟️ £65.63

Love2Dance Annual Show 2025 - Amazingly talented pupils will inspire and delight you in this super entertaining variety dance show.
📁 Stage | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £18

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+

StAnza presents Hame-ish Live - A night out that feels like a night in. Join us for an evening of music and poetry in a friendly atmosphere.
📁 Stage | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ Free

Champagne v Sparkling Wine Masterclass & Buffet - A relaxed tasting sampling Champagne v sparkling wine with Rose Murray Brown MW followed by a buffet.
📁 Food & Drink | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Rufflets, St Andrews | 🎟️ £92.80

ELO Beatles and Beyond - Fronted by top sound-alike tributes to Jeff Lynne and Paul McCartney.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £28.60

Hugh Cornwell & Special Guests - Don’t miss this full-band show from legendary Stranglers frontman and songwriter Hugh Cornwell.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £32.50

The Polis - Blistering Set of Classic Police Singles, B-sides, and Live Arrangements one of the UK’s must-see Tribute Acts.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £13.70

🎉 Multi-Day Events & Exhibitions

Santa’s Grotto - Santa's Grotto is always one of our most popular experiences at Dobbies Dunfermline, and this year it's even more magical!
📅 Sun, 23rd November - Wed, 24th December | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Dobbies, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £14+

Collecting the Contemporary: Scottish Art at Kirkcaldy Galleries - This display features works by modern and contemporary painters who were inspired by Scotland.
📅 Fri, 31st January - Wed, 31st December | 🕢 10am | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Jack Vettriano Exhibition 2025 - Collection of Jack Vettriano prints, including rare and sold-out pieces.
📅 Tue, 4th March - Thu, 15th January 2026 | 🕢 10am | 📍 Affordable Arts, Methil | 🎟️ Free

From These Parts: Scotland, Art and Identity - Special preview evening filled with live music, drinks, and creative activities.
📅 Sat, 18th October - Sun, 15th February 2026 | 🕢 10am | 📍 Wardlaw Museum | 🎟️ Free

Unveiling the Madonna - Discover the story behind the Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, the oldest painting in our art collection.
📅 Sat, 8th November - Sat, 7th March 2026 | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Museum | 🎟️ 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

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THANKS FOR READING

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Cheers,

Duncan