🧭 Fife to get Holiday Let Controls?

Good morning, Fifers! Local events are back in full swing again this weekend, following a quiet start to the year in the post-Christmas lull. And, looking ahead, things are only set to get busier, there’s plenty going on!

Here’s what’s coming your way today:

• Fife to get Holiday Let Controls?

• 28 Events to See This Weekend

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

— Duncan

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🏘️ Holiday Let Controls Coming to Fife?

Fife is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination, with both international and Scottish visitors attracted by our stunning coastline, great walks, and world-famous golfing. Whilst this is a great boon to the local economy, it is not always good, and worldwide we are seeing a backlash against over-touristification, with famous protests seen in Spain and growing unease just over the water in Edinburgh.

Closer to home, it now seems that some local communities in Fife are also starting to struggle with this popularity. We've already heard about the potential plans for a tourist tax in the Kingdom, which the council is currently consulting on, and now, there may be plans to bring in controls on Airbnb-style holiday accommodation in the East Neuk amid warnings that popular villages are being hollowed out, with locals forced out and villages becoming empty during winter months.

The scale is striking. In Elie and Earlsferry, 21% of all properties are now short-term lets, the highest proportion in Fife. Kilrenny and Kingsbarns are at 10%, with St Andrews, Pittenweem, Crail, and Anstruther and Cellardyke all at around 8%. A public consultation found that over half of residents (56%) said the levels in their area were either "high" or "very high," with six out of ten believing such properties had affected their sense of community or quality of life.

While there is a clear economic benefit of holiday lets, with them generating £381 million across Fife and supporting around 5,440 jobs in the sector, it is clear there is a significant impact on locals, and any decision must be weighed carefully. While exact plans have not been confirmed yet, there does seem to be growing political support across the aisle, specifically targeted at the East Neuk.

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🚆 Quick reminder that electrification work starts on the railway line tomorrow and will last until January 25th. There will be no trains to Edinburgh from Fife, with trains within Fife also severely impacted. Check out all the details here for more information on alternative travel options.

• 🛣️ Fife Council is investing over £1.3 million in Glenrothes’ roads, footpaths, street lighting, and road safety for 2026–27. Key projects include £441,082 to resurface the A911 near Sappi Road roundabout, £40,000 for a new Puffin crossing on Pitcairn Avenue, and more.

• 🏭 The Scottish Government has announced £9m of targeted support over three years for communities affected by the closure of Mossmorran. Staff affected by the closure will receive first consideration for new job opportunities created through the investment.

• 🩺 NHS Fife has announced they are extremely busy at the moment and is calling on people to come to A&E only if they need emergency treatment.

• 🏫 Fife Council has approved the University of St Andrews’ £142 million New College redevelopment plan. The redevelopment will include a glass-roofed courtyard, lecture theatres, study and conference spaces, and a café. The plans look impressive, check them out here.

• ⚓ Broomhall Estate has applied to Fife Council for listed building consent to install a floating boom at Charlestown Harbour to prevent boats from entering the site due to safety concerns. The estate has already begun removing around 30 old boats from the area.

• 🏠 Twenty new affordable homes have been handed over to Fife Council in Kennoway, completing the second phase of a 63-home development on the former primary school site. The properties include detached, semi-detached, and wheelchair-accessible bungalows built to high energy-efficiency standards with PV panels and sprinklers.

• 🎼 The Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society has been nominated for the Inspiration Award by the Royal Philharmonic Society. They are the only nomination in Scotland, and you can vote for them to win here.

• 💨 SSE has secured a UK government contract to build the Berwick Bank offshore wind farm in the North Sea, not too far off Fife. The project will feature up to 307 turbines, generating enough electricity to power six million homes and is expected to contribute up to £6 billion to the UK economy.

• 💷 The Forth Green Freeport in Rosyth has secured a £25 million UK Government seed fund to support reindustrialisation across the region and attract private investment.

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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.

📅 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

📅 Saturday, 17th January

The Relational River - Experimental workshop exploring our relationships with the River Tay and its ecology.
📁 Art | 🕢 11am | 📍 Forgan Arts Centre | 🎟️ Free

Cupar Market - Independent producers and creatives, fresh produce and food, handmade crafts, and more.
📁 Markets | 🕢 10am | 📍 Crossgate, Cupar | 🎟️ Free

Unleafed & Unveiled: Winter Tree ID Walk - Join Ecology Centre staff for a relaxing and informative stroll through the beautiful River Park at Levenmouth.
📁 Tour | 🕢 10am | 📍 Kirkland Walk Junction, Methi | 🎟️ Free

Paint & Sip - Relax, create, and enjoy a night out that's all about connection and creativity!
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 St Peter’s Church, Kirkcaldy  | 🎟️ £35

Bonnie & Clyde - Playhouse Theatre Company proudly presents Bonnie & Clyde the musical!
📁 Stage | 🕢 2:30pm & 7:30pm | 📍 Lochgelly Centre | 🎟️ £16.50+

Comfort and Joy - Scottish comedy written and directed by Bill Forsyth (Local Hero).
📁 Movie | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £5+

Sam Offender - Indie rock.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 PJ Molloys, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £13.20

Bat Out of Hell: The Musical - Get ready for the ultimate rock experience as Bat Out of Hell roars onto the big screen!
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £6.50+

Midnight Anthem - A four-piece alternative rock/indie covers band from Dunfermline.
📁 Music | 🕢 8:30pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

Forgan's St Andrews Ceilidh - Head to Forgan’s and experience one of our unforgettable ceilidhs.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 10:30pm | 📍 Forgan's St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

📅 Sunday, 18th January

Muppet Treasure Island - A Muppet adaptation of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island.
📁 Movie | 🕢 11am | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £5+

I Swear - A frank, funny and powerful new film inspired by the life and experiences of John Davidson.
📁 Movie | 🕢 1:30pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £5+

New Focus: The Classical Connection - Euan Stevenson and Konrad Wiszniewski give fascinating insights into the relationship between classical music and jazz.
📁 Music | 🕢 3pm | 📍 Viewfield Baptist Church, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £15

📅 Monday, 19th January

Derek Fabel: Nuclear Fallout Exposes Fake Antique Whisky - This talk uses whisky dating as a vehicle to explore isotopes, accelerator mass spectrometry, radiocarbon dating and the global carbon cycle.
📁 Talk | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Old Kirk | 🎟️ £15

🎉 Multi-Day Events & Exhibitions

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