🧭 Fife Rail Closures Set to Begin

Good morning, Fifers! It’s been nice to see the back of the cold weather, although I’m sure it will be making a return before winter is over.

Also, thanks to all the business owners who registered their interest in joining our Fife Insider Business Directory last week. If you’d like to join them in being one of the first businesses on it, then please fill in this form, and I’ll be in touch with more details.

Here’s what’s coming your way today:

• ScotRail Confirms Alternative Travel Plans

• 22 Events to See This Week

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

— Duncan

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🚇 ScotRail Confirms Alternative Travel Plans

Major rail disruption is set to impact Fife commuters from this Saturday, as essential engineering work to electrify the railway between Edinburgh and Fife gets underway. No trains will operate between Haymarket and Dalmeny from Saturday, January 17th to Sunday, January 25th.

We covered the planned works back in October when Network Rail first announced the nine-day closure period. Now, ScotRail has confirmed its alternative travel arrangements, with engineers from Network Rail working round-the-clock to modernise the route as part of the Scottish Government's wider programme to decarbonise Scotland's Railway.

ScotRail will operate diverted train services where possible, alongside rail replacement buses serving local stations. Services will run hourly between key Fife destinations and Inverkeithing, where passengers can connect with replacement buses to Edinburgh.

Key replacement bus services:

• Edinburgh Gateway and Inverkeithing/Dalgety Bay

• North Queensferry and Inverkeithing

• Haymarket and Inverkeithing (peak times Monday-Friday, late morning to early evening Saturday)

Check out the full announcement here for all the details.

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 📱 Fife Council has passed a major milestone in its Transforming Learning Programme, with more than 22,000 iPads now issued to pupils and staff, meaning over half of learners from P6 to S6 now have their own device.

• ⛳ St Andrews Links Trust has committed £1.85 million over eight years to support local community groups through a new partnership with the St Andrews Community Trust.

• 🏘️ Fife Council has approved its Strategic Housing Investment Plan for 2026-2031, setting out proposals to deliver up to 2,640 affordable homes across the Kingdom, with a strong focus on social rent, specialist housing needs, and energy-efficient, low-carbon homes to help tackle the housing emergency.

• 🏭 The Scottish Greens have urged the Scottish Government to use this week’s budget to deliver urgent support for workers affected by the Mossmorran closure, with co-leader Ross Greer warning that promised transition plans and job support have yet to materialise.

• 🎓 The rector of the University of St Andrews, Stella Maris, has been removed from her role as president of the university court following a governance dispute, with the university citing a failure to adhere to collective responsibility rules.

• ⛴️ In the latest update on the proposed plans for a Fife to France ferry, it is now thought that the service could become operational as early as May 2026. It is planned for the service to run 3 times a week, which will take 20 hours one way and could generate £11.5m a year for the Scottish economy.

• 🏨 The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews has closed temporarily to begin an ambitious renovation programme. The works will include a major lobby upgrade with restored wood panelling, new soft furnishings, textured wallpaper, and bespoke lighting inspired by Fife’s landscapes.

• 🏛️ There’s still time to have your say on how Historic Environment Scotland cares for its historic sites, such as Aberdour Castle and St Andrews Castle, amid challenges including climate change, rising costs, and skills shortages. The survey can be completed here and runs until January 23rd.

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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, 13th January

Tom McCrorie: To Infinity & Slightly Beyond - An insight into Tom's incredible journey into the hobby, warts 'n all and how he developed the PicAstro app.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 The Kabin, Dalgety Bay | 🎟️ £2

📅 Wednesday, 14th January

Dan O’Neill: Snow Leopards In the Mountains of Kyrgyzstan - Follow Dan as he leads an extreme conservation mission through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £15

Beat The Drum: The Runrig Experience - Runrig tribute band.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £30.50

Bad Co Legacy - Don’t miss this incredible night of classic rock!
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £39.60

📅 Thursday, 15th January

Leslie Community Dig: What Did We Find? - Phil Karstaad from Addyman Archaeology will talk us through the finds and the next steps for this exciting project. Some of the finds will be on display for us all to see.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Leslie Baptist Church | 🎟️ Free/Donation

Bonnie & Clyde - Playhouse Theatre Company proudly presents Bonnie & Clyde the musical!
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £16.50+

Cambo, How to Run an Estate in the 21st Century - We will hear from James Erskine, who took over the reins in 2020, after a successful career as a theatre producer in Scotland.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ £3

Bad Co Legacy - Don’t miss this incredible night of classic rock!
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £39.60

📅 Friday, 16th January

Creative Craft Club For Adults - Come and enjoy a regular Friday morning of creativity.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Letham Village Hall | 🎟️ £15

Hayley Matthews Art Paint & Sip - Relax, Unwind, Create! Artist-guided painting workshop designed for all abilities!
📁 Art | 🕢 6pm | 📍 St Peter’s Church, Kirkcaldy  | 🎟️ £35

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+

Al Murray: All You Need Is Guv - The Guv will be back, baby, with a brand-new stand-up show for 2026.
📁 Comedy | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £30+

Bonnie & Clyde - Playhouse Theatre Company proudly presents Bonnie & Clyde, the musical!
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £16.50+

An Evening with Celtic Legends John Hartson, Johan Mjallby and Alan Thompson - The players discuss the games, dressing room/training ground stories, managers, and more.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £30

Kaleidoscope: The Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland - Vibrant evening concert that promises to captivate, surprise and inspire.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £15+

Jamie Adamson and John Muir Jr - Performing originals and covers.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

Moving Pictures - Rush tribute band.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross

🎉 Multi-Day Events & Exhibitions

Jack Vettriano Exhibition 2025 - Collection of Jack Vettriano prints, including rare and sold-out pieces.
📅 Tue, 4th March - Tue, 13th January | 🕢 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 | 🕢 10am | 📍 Wardlaw Museum | 🎟️ Free

Paul McGinty: Beneath The Surface - This body of work represents elements of Paul McGinty's ongoing research into the history of the Coal Mining Industry in Fife.
📅 Thu, 8th January - Fri, 27th February | 🕢 10am-4pm (Thu & Fri) | 📍 Adam Smith Heritage Centre | 🎟️ 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 | 🕢 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 | 🕢 9:15am | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £17.50

Kirkcaldy Boot & Mart - Indoor and outdoor market held every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.
📅 Sat, 10th January - Wed, 16th December | 🕢 9am (Wed, Sat, & Sun) | 📍 6 Michelson Drive, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

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THANKS FOR READING

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Cheers,

Duncan