We fear village is dying on us
Residents downbeat about the future of Rankinston
Their politicians may think Rankinston will survive, but villagers aren’t so sure.
And in random chats with residents, the Ayrshire Post found a lot of pessimism.
Stephen Byford, 64, is a former engineer with the Ford motor company.
The Londoner said: “I think it could end up as a windfarm one day.
“Older residents are moving out as they become frail, and hardly anyone is moving in anymore.
“There’s good people here. I was an outsider, and I was totally embraced by the locals.”
Stephen, who now does voluntary work, added: “To be fair to the council, they’ve gone above and beyond what others might have done.
“But at the end of the day, can a limited pot of money stretch to support small communities like Rankinston?”
Grace Donis, 56, is Rankinston born and bred.
And in her lifetime the population has shrunk from over 800 to around 250.
She said: “There’s seven blocks of four houses supposed to be coming down.
“People were moved out of houses they had been in all their lives.
“They were moved into houses that have been done up – but doing up houses can only do so much.
“More is needed to bring life back to the village.”
Grace believes a lot of people in the Rankinston area are facing up to a real dilemma.
She said: “This is my home. I don’t want to live in Ayr or Cumnock.
“But we simply don’t have the facilities that people need.
Grace is still upset that the village water supply was switched from a pure local spring.
“It was the best water I’ve ever tasted. Maybe somebody could start a business and bottle it.”
Thomas Nutt, 42, remembers a bustling village in his childhood.
The closure of coal mines was a blow for Rankinston and other Ayrshire communities in the 1980s.
Tom said “There’s been more jobs lost recently at opencast mining and at the meat factory in Drongan.”
Self- employed gardener Tom is one of the lucky ones. He has brought up his family in the village, and has his own transport.
But he pointed out: “The bus only comes here every two hours, and its route takes over an hour to get to Ayr town centre.”
Tom has heard rumours that a developer wants to take over the derelict pub and the empty blocks in Kerse Terrace.
“Maybe it’s true,” he joked. “The council had stopped cutting the grass at the blocks, but they’re cutting it again!”
But another rumour doing the rounds is that there are bats in the blocks, and the council can’t demolish, as it would make a protected species homeless.
Hans Miller, 43, says he only stays in Rankinston to look after his 75- year- old dad.
Hans said: “I don’t want my dad going into a care home, so I became his carer after my mum died three years ago.
“I had worked since I was 16, and if dad wasn’t here, I would likely move to Ayr and get a job.”
Hans added: “I don’t really go out anymore, but the people who run the community centre are now the heartbeat of the village. They’re doing all they can to make life better for us all.”