🧭 Is This the End of Fife Greyhound Racing?

Good morning, Fifers! It’s been a wet week, and it looks like that is set to continue over the weekend, at least it’s not quite as cold as it was a couple of weeks ago!

For local business owners, I also wanted to highlight that you can now list your business directly on the Fife Insider Business Directory. We’ll be launching this more widely imminenetly so now’s the time to register.

Here’s what’s coming your way today:

• Is This the End of Fife Greyhound Racing?

• Local Orchestra Up For National Award

• 44 Events to See This Weekend

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

— Duncan

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🐕 Is This the End of Fife Greyhound Racing?

The Scottish Parliament voted yesterday to progress with a proposed bill, put forward by Green MSP Mark Ruskell, that could see greyhound racing in Scotland banned for good. This is particularly relevant to Fife, which hosts the last track in Scotland, Thornton Greyhound Stadium. Though it is not currently holding races, if passed, this bill would put a stop to it for good.

While the bill passed the first stage with 69 votes against 27, the timing is tight. With the Scottish election scheduled for May 7th, there's a narrow window to get this legislation through all stages before Parliament dissolves, and it would not be the first bill to lose momentum following an election.

Animal welfare organisations have united behind the ban, arguing there's no safe way to force dogs to race at speeds of up to 40mph around oval tracks. On the other side of the argument, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain has questioned why Parliament is focusing on a sport that essentially no longer operates commercially in Scotland. Either way, the bill seems to have strong support, and it looks likely it will eventually come into force.

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• 🏠 Dozens of families in West Wemyss and Denbeath have received eviction notices after properties were sold to Torah Capital. Council housing chief John Mills is exploring options to bring them into public ownership, aiming to prevent long-standing residents from becoming homeless.

• 🏭 A multi-agency taskforce led by Fife Council met on Wednesday to understand how best to help the 400 workers at risk of redundancy ahead of the Mossmorran ethylene plant’s closure in February. The Scottish Government has committed £9m over three years to support affected workers and communities.

• 📚 Karen Solie, Reader in Creative Writing at the University of St Andrews, has won the 2025 T.S. Eliot Prize for her sixth collection of poems, Wellwater. The book has already claimed the Governor General’s Medal and the Forward Prize, marking a major year of accolades.

• 🎒 Fife Council is expanding support for refugee and asylum-seeking young people in schools, with 3,621 pupils now learning with English as an Additional Language and targeted help to help many progress to college and university.

• 🏋️ Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre is inviting the community to celebrate its newly refurbished and expanded gym with a free fitness event on Saturday, January 31st. Book your spot here.

• 🚌 Leven Bus Station services will temporarily move to Promenade Car Park from February 12th while a £300,000 upgrade is carried out to resurface the concourse, improve accessibility and future-proof the station for larger and electric buses.

• 💊 Fife has seen a drop in drug-related deaths, with numbers falling from 73 in 2023 to 69 in 2024, with notable reductions among women and 15–24-year-olds.

• 🏫 It’s only 200 days to go until the new Caledonia High School, built to replace Inverkeithing High School, opens. The £88m, Passivhaus-designed building will accommodate 1,735 pupils, feature flexible indoor and outdoor learning spaces, enhanced digital facilities, accessible support areas, and community sports and learning facilities.

• ⚽ An American consortium, led by former Helsingor owner Jordan Gardner, has acquired 80% of Kelty Hearts with 20% retained locally. The investment will be used to strengthen the team, infrastructure, academy, and community.

• 🍽 Fife College has been awarded £2m Tay Cities funding. The funding will be used to deliver a new Regional Skills and Employability Development Programme for the hospitality sector.

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FEATURE OF THE WEEK

🎼 Local Orchestra Up For National Award

Fife’s very own Kirkcaldy Orchestral Society (KOS) has been shortlisted for the prestigious RPS Inspiration Award at the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards 2026. They’re the only Scottish group in the shortlist of four, beating competition from across the UK. Public voting is open until 11 am on February 2nd, with the winner announced at London’s Southbank Centre on March 12th. We've already cast our vote, and the orchestra has even been championed in Holyrood, with local MSP David Torrance congratulating them on their nomination.

Celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025, KOS has been inspiring musicians and making music in Fife since 1875. What sets them apart is their commitment to the community. For the past decade, they’ve run Composition Projects in Fife secondary schools and recently expanded the program to HM Prison Glenochil in partnership with Fife College. The orchestra also supports local charities during the festive season, collaborates with other Fife music groups, and performs annually at the Fife Festival of Music.

If you’d like to support this remarkable Fife institution, see all the nominees and cast your vote here. It’s fantastic to see a local group getting national recognition, let’s hope they bring home the award! Catch them live at the Fife Festival of Music on Wednesday, February 4th at the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy.

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, 30th January

Behind the Business: Morning Session with Marissa Yassen-Fleming - Relaxed early-morning Behind the Business session with Fife Business Gateway.
📁 Talk | 🕢 9:30am | 📍 Abbot House, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Pay what you can

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

Hayley Matthews Art Pop Up Event - Local artist prints, paintings, cards, coasters and gifts!
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Gaelic Conversation Group - Join this informal group of Gaelic learners for a relaxed morning working together on Gaelic Conversation.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 10:15am | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

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

Paint and Sip: Links to the Sea - Reflect on the seasons and relax with a glass of wine while we paint coastal scenes.
📁 Art | 🕢 5:30pm | 📍 R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £20

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+

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

Nirvana Unplugged Experience - Relive Nirvana’s legendary 1993 MTV Unplugged in New York performance.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £25

Jack Pearce Quintet - Fusion of melodic and technical excellence, drawing influence from Post-bop and 90s New York Swing.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £24.20

📅 Saturday, 31st January

Winter Fruit Tree Maintenance - Learn about how we look after our orchard and how you can use that knowledge in your own green space.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 10am | 📍 Ravenscraig Walled Gardens | 🎟️ £25

Needle Felting Workshop - Fun and creative session where you can learn the art of needle felting with Helen Lawrenson!
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 The Stables, Falkland Estate | 🎟️ £18+

Hayley Matthews Art Pop Up Event - Local artist prints, paintings, cards, coasters and gifts!
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Shifting Landscape Documentary Series: Part 1 - Four-part documentary series by Emergence Magazine in our Bioscope.
📁 Movie | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Botanic Garden | 🎟️ Entry + Donation

Zootropolis 2 - Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case.
📁 Movie | 🕢 11am | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5

Angel Wings Mixed Media Workshop - Magical and inspiring crafting experience as you create your own custom angel wings design!
📁 Art | 🕢 1pm | 📍 Anderson Hall, Leslie | 🎟️ £50

Make Paper With Seaweed - Make seaweed in this paper-making workshop offered by one of the few seaweed artists in the country.
📁 Art | 🕢 2pm | 📍 The Steeple Studios, Newburgh | 🎟️ £45

I Swear - A frank, funny and powerful new film inspired by the life and experiences of John Davidson.
📁 Movie | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £6.50+

Ruby Sippers - Step into a world of magic, music, and movement as the Sarah Hendry School of Dance proudly presents Ruby Sippers.
📁 Stage | 🕢 2pm & 7pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £10+

Weaving Brigid/Bride’s Crosses: Imbolc Workshop - Learn to weave Bride’s Cross while hearing stories and lore from Beverley from Glamourie.
📁 Art | 🕢 2:30pm | 📍 Abbot House, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £27.80

80s/90s School Disco - Relive the magic of the playground, the school hall, and the end-of-term discos as the ultimate 80s & 90s School Disco experience.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 3pm | 📍 The Venue, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £11.25

Adam Ross & Gillian Fleetwood - Join us for a night of live music as part of the Cambo Snowdrop Festival.
📁 Music | 🕢 6pm | 📍 Cambo Country House and Estate | 🎟️ £20.21

Rock Femme Fatales - Classic rock.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 PJ Molloys, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £11

Wicked For Good - Follows Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and her relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5+

Esther Swift: The Small - Letham Nights presents sensational harpist Esther Swift.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Letham Village Hall | 🎟️ £16.96+

Between Frost and Fire: Bride/ Brigid - Scottish storyteller Beverley Bryant weaves Irish and Scottish tradition to explore the enduring figure of Brigid.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Abbot House, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £11.50

After The Last Waltz - Join The Stevie Agnew Band, Kirsten Adamson, special guest Pete Agnew, and more for a powerful live tribute to The Band.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £22.50

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, 1st February

The Art of Feeling - Workshop to reclaim anger as an ally through gentle movement, somatic awareness, intentional breath, simple sacred rituals and supportive healing medicinal plants!
📁 Class | 🕢 10am | 📍 The Yoga Social, Charlestown | 🎟️ £89

Fluid Art for Mindfulness - Focus on the flow and movement of the paint and interaction of the colours as the painting develops.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Balmalcolm Den | 🎟️ £30

Make Paper With Seaweed - Make seaweed in this paper-making workshop offered by one of the few seaweed artists in the country.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 The Steeple Studios, Newburgh | 🎟️ £45

Growing Together Activity Sessions - Free accessible, nature events for families with children & young people with disabilities & additional support needs.
📁 Family | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Botanic Garden | 🎟️ Free

Centre Stage: The Greatest Show - Our dance school is thrilled to present a dazzling celebration of music, movement, and storytelling!
📁 Stage | 🕢 11am, 2pm, & 6pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £17+

Sunday Storycraft - Session of themed crafts and stories.
📁 Family | 🕢 12pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Galleries | 🎟️ Free

Flow Yoga, Yoga Nidra & Cake! - Fun flowing yoga class followed by yoga nidra and cake!
📁 Class | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Breathe Yoga Pilates & Wellness, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £22.38

National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step - After years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £10+

📅 Monday, 2nd February

The Classic Rock Show - An amazing opportunity for rock fans to celebrate three decades of the world’s greatest classic rock music.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £40+

🎉 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

Winter Memory Postcards - Reflect on the feelings and memories of the winter holidays, the fleeting moments captured, as if on postcards to friends and family.
📅 Wed, 4th - Mon, 16th February | 🕢 10:30am - 4pm (closed Tuesdays) | 📍 St Andrews Heritage Museum | 🎟️ Museum Admission

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

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

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