Entertainment in Ayre

Known for its golf – especially world-famous courses Royal Troon and Turnberry – Ayr is also home to the Ayr United football team, which was founded in 1910, as well as one of the oldest racecourses in the country.

One of the longest running clubs in Scotland, Ayr United play their home games at the 10,185-capacity Somerset Park, less than a mile from our Ayr Racecourse hotel. The team spent over 30 years in Scotland’s top division, but more recently have been scrapping away in League One. Nicknamed ‘The Honest Men’ after a line from a Robert Burns poem, the team have been to the League Cup and Challenge Cup final three times, but have yet to win their first piece of major silverware.

Ayrshire is a real hotbed for swingers and putters with over a dozen courses within just 40 miles. The most famous of them is Royal Troon. Founded in 1878, the course has hosted the Open Championship several times including in 2004 and 2016, and thanks to its testing layout, deep rough and onshore winds, is one of the toughest in the world. You’ll need to have a handicap of 20 or less (or under 30 for women) to try it out for yourself. Alternatively, you can head to one of the other nearby courses, which are a little easier, including St Cuthbert Golf Club, located a mile from our Ayr Racecourse hotel.

One of the oldest racecourses in the UK dating back to the 16th century, Ayr Racecourse hosts over 30 races each year, including the annual Scottish Grand National, the Ayr Gold Cup and regular Flat and National Hunt meetings. Scotland’s only Grade 1 course, there are several bars, restaurants and stands to take in all the action, with a range of food and drink options. And our Ayr Racecourse hotel is less than a mile from the action.

Choose from plays, musicals, opera, stand-up comedy and more across the Gaiety Theatre and the Harbour Arts Centre in nearby Irvine.

Built in 1902, the Gaiety Theatre is one of Scotland’s oldest theatres, boasting a classic Victorian auditorium with an impressive rococo interior and excellent acoustics. The theatre re-opened in 2012 after several years of closure and is now a social enterprise and registered Scottish charity largely run by volunteers and supported by a small staff team. The theatre welcomes over 65,000 people to over 200 shows each year, including an impressive range of orchestras, musicals, live music, stand-up comedy, tribute acts and more.

Just 14 miles north of Ayr, the Harbour Arts Centre in Irvine is an in-demand theatre with a diverse range of programming, including live music, exhibitions and comedy. Overlooking the harbour, there’s also a gallery with rotating exhibits and a stylish café and bar, perfect for pre-show drinks.