Doorsopendayisbackwithahostofvenues

Ayrshire Doors Open Day is back and there’s a host of venues ready and waiting to welcome members of the public.

The 2020 event was held online but this year you can visit places of curiosity in person.

Ayrshire Doors Open Day has 18 venues throughout the county welcoming in visitors to celebrate the annual Festival of Architecture over the second weekend of September 11 and September 12. Doors Open Day, nationally coordinated by the Scottish Civic Trust and supported by Historic Environment Scotland, is also part of European Heritage Days. In Ayrshire, the event is arranged by volunteers from Kyle and Carrick Civic Society.

A spokesperson said: “Take a look inside buildings that are not always open to the public or where a charge would otherwise be made. They vary from Skelmorlie Secret Bunker, the Royal Observer Corps underground listening post, to the Private Telephone Museum in Darvel.”

Opening times vary and some need advance booking, so check out www.doorsopendays.org. uk for details. Other venues include: The Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine; Ardrossan Castle; Auchinleck House; Auchinleck Parish Church;

Beith Townhouse; Loudoun Kirk, Galston; The Club, Kilmarnock ; Kilwinning Abbey Tower; Clark Memorial Church, Largs; National Burns Memorial Homes, Mauchline; Portencross Castle; The Broadway, Prestwick; Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay Parish Church; and Troon Old Parish Church.

wWelcome back Our photo shows Dr Susan O’Connor,d irector of the Scottish Civic Trust with Michael Hitchon MBE, prsident of Kyle and Carrick Civic Society, at the launch of the national event held earlier this month at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine