🧭 Fife's New Bridge Finally Reconnects Communities

Good morning, Fifers! Last week we highlighted plans for a new walk-in trial GP service here in Fife and asked for your thoughts. It seems the idea is very popular, with 89% of you supporting it!

Here’s what else is coming your way today:

• Fife's Newest Bridge is Now Open

• Fife Council to Vote on World Cup Bank Holiday

• 44 Events to See This Week

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

— Duncan

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🩺 St Andrews Community Hospital hosted 170 University of St Andrews medical students for an immersive learning day with BASICS Scotland, giving participants hands-on experience in pre-hospital emergency care, scene assessment, and coordination with emergency services.

• ⚡ SP Energy Networks has submitted plans for a new converter station at Westfield as part of its Eastern Green Link 4 (EGL4) high-voltage subsea link, aiming to transport renewable electricity from Scotland to Norfolk.

• 🏠 Fife Council has approved a 5.5% rent increase for council houses from April 2026, raising the average weekly rent to £97.73, with the same rise applied to garages, lockups, and temporary accommodation.

• 🚗 Fife Council to invest £3.5m in roads under Labour budget as part of a wider capital programme. The funding will be split evenly across the seven area committees to support pothole repairs, resurfacing, and general maintenance.

• ⛳ St Andrews Links is offering nearly 2,000 discounted tee times across six courses for Scottish golfers in 2026 through its expanded The Drive initiative, with the Old Course available for just £45. More details and how to apply here.

• 🎨 Dunfermline artist Charlie Marshall has opened a new exhibition at Queen Margaret Hospital’s Community Art Gallery, showcasing oil paintings of local landmarks. The collection reflects his journey of recovery and resilience after a serious car accident in 2013, with art becoming a tool for coping, well-being, and professional growth.

• 🖌️ A self-portrait by Fife artist Jack Vettriano will go on display at the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh to mark the first anniversary of his death. Painted in 1993, the work shows Vettriano taking a break in his Edinburgh flat and will be free to view until early 2029 as part of a six-year loan from his estate.

• 🏒 Fife Flyers head coach Jamie Russell has resigned from the club just a week after owners revealed cash injections were needed to “stabilise” the team. This adds to a litany of issues since last year’s US takeover, including player housing issues, COO resignations, and controversy over the signing of Milan Lucic and the scrapped Pride jerseys.

• 🔨 Plans have been unveiled by Miller Homes for nearly 400 new homes near Cardenden. The development would include a mix of cottage flats, bungalows, terraced, semi‑detached and detached houses.

• ⚽ Fife Council will decide on the proposed Scotland World Cup Bank Holiday at Thursday’s Cabinet Committee meeting, with officers recommending it be rejected due to an estimated £0.25m cost and concerns over lost productivity.

• 👶 There were 229 babies born in Fife last month, with Grace and Theo being the most popular names. February 1st was the busiest day with 13 babies born.

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🌉 Fife's New Bridge Finally Reconnects Communities

Another milestone for Levenmouth this week, as the new Mountfleurie Bridge officially opened to the public. The £5.8 million active travel crossing stretches 100 metres over the Levenmouth Rail Link between Kirkland and Mountfleurie, providing a safe, fully accessible route for walking, wheeling and cycling. It restores a key local link between communities, schools and services on either side of the railway that had been severed during the rail reinstatement works.

It's easy to overlook a bridge opening compared to the fanfare that surrounded the return of the Levenmouth rail link itself, but for residents on either side of the line, this is genuinely significant. The railway's return was a landmark moment for the area, but infrastructure like this is what makes it work day-to-day. Funded by the UK Government and delivered by Network Rail, it's also another sign that investment in Levenmouth is being followed through rather than stopping at the headline announcement.

Levenmouth has had a lot of good news lately: the rail link, the River Park green corridor project now under construction, and over £1 million in fresh Levenmouth Reconnected funding awarded to local projects just recently. The Mountfleurie Bridge is a quieter addition to that list, but arguably one of the most practical. A temporary bridge used during construction will be removed shortly, with overnight working planned to keep disruption to a minimum.

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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, 3rd March

Lamb Bottle Feeding - Meet and bottle feed our baby lambs.
📁 Family | 🕢 1pm | 📍 Hillview Animal Park | 🎟️ £25.08

World Wildlife Day Walk at River Park - Join us for a relaxed, wildlife-themed nature walk.
📁 Tour | 🕢 4pm | 📍 Poplar Road & Kirkland Walk | 🎟️ Free

No Stress Art Class - Looking for something different? Come and join the Arty Party. All levels and abilities.
📁 Art | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Kelty Community Centre | 🎟️ £10

Women In Mind Dunfermline - Volunteer-led peer-to-peer women’s mental health group.
📁 Support Group | 🕢 7pm | 📍 St Ninians Church, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

Fife Schools’ String Orchestra & Fife Schools’ Wind Band - Both groups will be performing a varied programme of music which they have been rehearsing since early October.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £6

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

Shrek The Musical - The hilarious, heartwarming hit that proves “beauty” is in the eye of the ogre.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20+

Wednesday, 4th March

Lamb Bottle Feeding - Meet and bottle feed our baby lambs.
📁 Family | 🕢 10am & 1pm | 📍 Hillview Animal Park | 🎟️ £25.08

Jewellery Evening Course - For individuals interested in developing jewellery-making skills for personal, professional, or career transition purposes.
📁 Art | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Fife College Glenrothes Campus | 🎟️ £195

Wednesday 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+

National Theatre Live: The Audience - Returning to cinemas for the first time in over a decade, Helen Mirren plays Queen Elizabeth II.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Crail Community Hall | 🎟️ £14

Kate Bradbury: Gardening for Biodiversity - Discover how your garden can become a lifeline of green corridors and habitats connecting urban and rural landscapes.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Dunfermline High School | 🎟️ £15

Shrek The Musical - The hilarious, heartwarming hit that proves “beauty” is in the eye of the ogre.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20+

The Shoregate Session - Everything from traditional tunes through to songs ancient and modern.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 The Shoregate, Crail | 🎟️ Free

Thursday, 5th March

Lamb Bottle Feeding - Meet and bottle feed our baby lambs.
📁 Family | 🕢 10am & 1pm | 📍 Hillview Animal Park | 🎟️ £25.08

The Butler - Cecil Gaines goes on to serve eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House.
📁 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

PWR Pro Wrestling - High-energy, family-friendly wrestling show that has become a must-see night out in the local area.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Truth Nightclub, Leven | 🎟️ £11.49

Cider Series - Part 4 of our 6-part series of talks and tastings featuring local Scottish Ciderists and Perry-makers.
📁 Drink | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Howe Beer Project, Balmalcolm Den | 🎟️ Free

Psychic Night: Hello from Heaven - An evening of Mediumship with Northern Irish Psychic Medium Fiona Stewart Williams.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Pitbauchlie House Hotel, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £22.38

HMS Pinafore - The Topsy Turvy world of Messrs Gilbert & Sullivan is beautifully illustrated in HMS Pinafore with the plot weaving its way from the sublime to the ridiculous!
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £21

Shrek The Musical - The hilarious, heartwarming hit that proves “beauty” is in the eye of the ogre.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20+

Stan the Band - North East guitar 4 piece with an uncanny knack for producing insanely catchy songs.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £26.40

Friday, 6th March

St Andrews International Women's Day Dook - Help us celebrate International Women’s Day while raising funds for an important local cause.
📁 Sport | 🕢 8am | 📍 East Sands Beach, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

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

Big Green Market - Monthly pre-loved market dedicated to reducing waste and supporting the local community.
📁 Markets | 🕢 12pm | 📍 Burntisland Parish Church Hall | 🎟️ Free

Never grow Up! - A wonderful first half of the Ballet Peter Pan and a toe-tapping second half of dance.
📁 Stage | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £12+

Celebrate Style, Celebrate Mums - Ladies evening celebrating mums and women with beautiful vibes, fashion, shopping and loads of laughs.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Kingswood Hotel, Burntisland | 🎟️ £10

Burn The Maps - Plus support from Familiar Enemies and Guillotine.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 King's Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £10

Herding Cats: A Night of Legends and Anthems - Get ready to jam all night with legendary tracks and epic anthems at Herding Cats!
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Simpson Institute, Upper Largo | 🎟️ £6.13

Shrek The Musical - The hilarious, heartwarming hit that proves “beauty” is in the eye of the ogre.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20+

Madama Butterfly - One of the most colourful & exotic operas, performed by the Dnipro Opera, from Ukraine.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £43.90

Scottish Community Drama Association One Act Play Festival - Auld Kirk Players, Leslie Amateur Drama Club, and Aberdour Players.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Leslie Town Hall | 🎟️ £13.01

Of Stars, Bears and the Beginning of Time - A mythical journey through the celestial origin stories of the Fenno-Baltic tradition.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Crail Community Hall | 🎟️ £10

HMS Pinafore - The Topsy Turvy world of Messrs Gilbert & Sullivan is beautifully illustrated in HMS Pinafore, with the plot weaving its way from the sublime to the ridiculous!
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £21

Seriously Collins - Experience the magic of Phil Collins and Genesis live on stage in this tribute performance.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £20+

Free Again - Five piece ensemble of musicians will perform their spectacular new show, 'The Spirit of Bad Company & Free'.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £28.60

Frank and the Twins - Dynamic 4-piece rock/pop covers band playing a wide variety of songs from the 60’s to the present day.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

🎉 Multi-Day Events & Exhibitions

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

Scottish Snowdrop Festival 2026 - Visitors can enjoy our winter garden and specialist snowdrop collection, and the swathes of naturalised snowdrops in our woodland walk to the sea.
📅 Sun, 25th January - Sun, 15th March | 🕢 10am | 📍 Cambo Country House and Estate | 🎟️ Varies

Muir Walker Pride: 175 Years of Practice - Supported by historical drawings & instruments, this exhibition will chart the changing nature of architectural practice and its reflection of society over the years.
📅 Wed, 18th February - Sun, 15th March | 🕢 10:30am - 4pm (Wed - Mon) | 📍 St Andrews Bowling Club | 🎟️ £7.50

Lambing Experience - Meet our shepherd, see newborn lambs, and discover life on a working farm.
📅 Sat, 14th February - Tue, 31st March | 🕢 Varies | 📍 Ring Farm, Cupar | 🎟️ £13+

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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Cheers,

Duncan