Ayrshire: Football star Kevin Keegan loved cafe culture in Largs

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Football legend Kevin Keegan says that he couldn’t be happier in his Inverkip home.

The well-travelled former England player and manager bought a luxury apartment at Inverkip Marina and said he had fallen in love with his village home so much that he has no plans to move.

Keegan said: “I’m living in Inverkip just now with my wife Jean, and every morning I look at the scenery around the Clyde and think to myself, ‘This is magic’.

“Ever since the early 1980s I have been coming here, going round the Highlands and islands, going to Inverlochy Castle, Skibo, St Andrews, and there is always something different in the landscapes and the weather, which sends a shiver up my spine.” 

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It was 'Bah humbug' from North Ayrshire Licensing Board who were slammed by a local councillor for refusing to give a late licence for a Christmas Eve party night in Largs.

The Lounge bar-diner in Main Street missed out on its late night 2am licence on 24 December after an oversight, missing the deadline for applications.

Largs councillor Bobby Rae said that the ‘bureaucrats’ of the licensing board showed a lack of festive spirit and were more interested in penalising publicans for late applications than allowing young people a good time on Christmas Eve.

 Lounge owner Stephen McDonald was supported by police chiefs and SNP councillor Rae who sits on the licensing board, but despite their efforts could not get the decision reversed.

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A start to the construction of the new health centre in Largs was to be made early in 2007, it was being reported.

Planning permission was been granted and listed building consent approved for the North West Area Resource Centre, sited at Brooksby Day Hospital. 

NHS Ayrshire and Arran announced that nine contractors had registered their interest in building the health centre with six shortlisted for interview.

It was hoped that the entire project would be completed within 58 weeks of work commencing.

The centre was to incorporate the two existing doctors’ practices in Largs, community nursing and a full range of allied health professionals, such as speech and language therapists, podiatrists, physiotherapists and dietitians.

Partners in the project, North Ayrshire Council were also to provide reception services, a community care team and housing services. 

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The ladies of Largs Flower Club were delighted to celebrate their pearl anniversary with a special gathering at the Brisbane House Hotel in Largs.

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Getting to understand the ‘inns and outs' of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem were the pupils of St Mary’s Primary in Largs who performed their Christmas nativity concert for parents at St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church.

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Local motorists were caught out by the sudden introduction of charges at the car park behind Mackay's store in Largs.

Formerly the bus depot, it was turned into a 'pay and display' for Christmas and thereafter.

Editor Drew Cochrane explained in his column: "Some residents have been phoning us to say that they got a shock to the system to discover they had to pay for stopping in the car park.

"It’s not the fact that it’s 50p per hour or £2 for the day, it’s been the problem about not noticing and then being served with a letter saying that they owe £40 for failing to pop a coin into the machine."

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Churchgoers and friends made a beeline for Clark Memorial Church's annual panto.

Reverend Stephen Smith swapped his cassock for a frock as he took the comical role of Widow Twankey in Aladdin, directed by Peggy Inglis.

The cast came from the congregation, including veteran panto performer Jimmy Wilson as Wishee Washee.

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A well travelled couple who dedicated their retirement to tracing the final resting places of heroes of the Napoleonic wars were delighted to find two in a Largs churchyard.

David and Janet Bromley, from Papcastle in Cumbria, had been scouring Britain in a bid to record all known memorials of British and Allied soldiers who fought in the Peninsular Wars and at Waterloo before publishing their findings for posterity.

The mausoleum of Major General of the Peninsular War, Sir Thomas Brisbane, was photographed for their book as well as the grave of Private Donald Maclean who served at Waterloo.

In the Haylie Brae cemetery there lies a monument to Surgeon Major William Hunter of the Coldstream Guards who served at The Sortie from Bayonne, Waterloo, and the capture.

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And if you were looking for a festive night out and some clubroom dancing, Fiddlers and Oceans in Largs was open throughout the festive period with a handy timetable of opening times to boogie on down!