Year in review - part two: Headline highlights from the Herald in 2022

We've put together some of the headline highlights from the second half of the year below - let us know in the comments what your most memorable Herald article has been... and check out part one here - in case you missed it.

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July

Alfie's Bar re-opened under new ownership. (Image: Staff)

AN ARDROSSAN bar re-opened at the beginning of July, and the new owner said she wanted to bring a community feel back to the pub.

Heather Malcolm cut the ribbon at Alfie’s, starting the new era, as customers old and new flocked to the popular venue.

Previously serving Ardrossan under the name ‘Castlehill Vaults’, the rebranding back to its more commonly known name was launched with an evening of karaoke fun.

Read more here.

August

Some of the churches set to close. (Image: Street View)

CHURCH-goers in the Three Towns and Garnock Valley were rocked by news that five local churches had been earmarked for closure.

Saltcoats North Parish Church, St, Cuthbert’s Church and the Stevenston High Kirk and the Auld Kirk in Kilbirnie are all due to close by December 2023 with St Margaret’s in Dalry also due to close, though not until December 2025.

Read more here.

September

The vehicle which crashed into a property on Gilfillan Avenue. (Image: Charlie Gilmour Photography)

THE beginning of September saw a rather rare occurrence - as two separate vehicles crashed into two different Three Towns homes within days of each other.

A property on St Margart's Road in Ardrossan was damaged, before a similar incident occurred on Gilfillan Avenue in Saltcoats only four days later.

Read more here.

October

Gregor Watson circa 1960, right, and left, the exact same view in the modern day. (Image: Pinterest)

OCTOBER brought a real end of an era to Saltcoats, as a business which had spent 100 years in the town was due to close.

Gregor Watson's time in the town was to come to an end, with current owner Peter Watson confirming his intentions to retire.

Read more here.

November

Nicola Sturgeon visited the DSM site in Dalry on St Andrew's Day (Image: DSM)

SCOTLAND'S First Minister made two November visits to North Ayrshire.

She came back onto home turf to check in at the DSM facility in Dalry as construction of a new distribution facility for the manufacture of an animal feed additive got under way.

Read more here.

December

The Stevenston Christmas lights switch on (Image: Charlie Gilmour Photography)

AND in December, a very emotional Christmas lights switch on event took place in Stevenston.

The event was dedicated to the late Shirley Morgan, who sadly passed away in May.

She was very much a community champion, and organisers put in every effort to ensure the success of the event, in memory of “Mrs Christmas”.

Read more here.