Home Report Kilmarnock

Located on the banks of the River Irvine, Kilmarnock is one of the major settlements in Ayrshire, having long been a sizeable town within the county and boasting a long history. A relatively modest settlement until the early 19th century, Kilmarnock soon after exploded as a centre of heavy manufacturing, a reputation which has defined the town since. Outwith this, the town is also known as the home of Johnnie Walker Whisky, possibly the most widely distributed whisky in the world, which was until 2012 distilled and bottled right on the site where it was founded. Robert Burns’ most famous volume, ‘Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect’, was published in Kilmarnock and the town pays homage to this with the largest Burns monument in the country.

Since the decline of traditional industry, Kilmarnock has successfully reinvented itself as a town reliant on a skills-based economy whilst still retaining much of the grand architecture and triumphs of town planning which industrial wealth bequeathed it. Good examples of this include a grand historic core to the town and Bank Street, a beautiful Victorian cobbled street which exhibits much of the finest architecture in the town. Yet Kilmarnock is no stranger to modernity, with many businesses having invested and set up in the area including Vodafone and KLIN. The famous Andrew Barclay and Son’s, a long-time resident of the town, still provide railway engineering technology in Kilmarnock. The town has strong rail and road links with Glasgow and is well-connected to Ayrshire’s other major settlements.

The reinvigorated economy of the town, as well as its connections to Glasgow and the rest of Ayrshire, have made it a popular place to live and this has led to a resilient property market for some time. In terms of property types, the town reflects its long history with a varied arrayed of homes from traditional Victorian tenements, refurbished industrial buildings and townhouses to more modern flats, semi-detached properties and bungalows. Recent and ongoing developments include construction on the site of the former Old Kilmarnock College, as well as plans to regenerate Kilmarnock town centre which have as recently as 2019 underwent discussions within the town’s council.