A milkman is to hang up his cap in Kilbirnie, ending his family’s 130-year proud tradition of doorstep deliveries in the town.

Robert Logan has been delivering milk to the doorsteps of local households for nearly 50 years.

The 71-year-old dad, who lives in Beith, delivered his last pint a few weeks ago.

Robert said: “I’m semi-retired – I’m still doing doorstep in Beith and wholesale deliveries.

“It is maybe time I take life a bit easier, at least to do something that doesn’t mean getting up and out at 3am, hopefully.

“I do enjoy the mornings though, everything is quiet, and the day hasn’t been broken.”

Robert is well known in the Garnock Valley, having dedicated a lifetime to dependable deliveries.

He said: “I have a few examples of having had three generations of milk boys working on the van at different times over the years – I still see many of them around Kilbirnie today. It’s great to see them getting on in life and bringing up their own families in the area.”

The Logan family’s history of milk delivery in the area began with Robert’s great-grandfather John Logan in 1885.

Milk from the farm used to be sold originally by horse and cart by John and then via two Bedford vans for deliveries around town. At one time there were several other people delivering milk in Kilbirnie.

Robert picked up the delivery in his early 20s. At that time, milk was bottled from the freshly-milked cows at Holehouse Farm.

Asked what the biggest change to the tradition of milk deliveries has been, Robert said: “Supermarkets. That made a big difference.”

He added: “There’s one customer who said to me that having your milk delivered is one of the few luxuries in life.”

Robert would like to thank all his loyal customers in Kilbirnie.

He is also pleased to see the doorstep milk run in Kilbirnie continuing in the care of John Kerr, who has been delivering in the valley and surrounding area.