IT is indeed an interesting time in the Benarty area.

Looking ahead we have a local company really leading from the front in food production and drainage purification.

Looking back we are about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the closure of the two massive collieries that provided thousands of jobs for local people over a period of 60 years.

It has often been said that without the coal industry the Benarty area would not have seen the villages of Ballingry, Glencraig, Crosshill and Lochore develop into the communities that they have.

Of that there can be no doubt because before the black diamonds were won from beneath the land of Benarty there were just a few houses and farms.

That all changed when the Glencraig and Mary Collieries were opened.

Not only did the pits provide jobs for local people these also needed miners brought in from the west of Scotland to maintain the huge output of the pits.

The coal mining communities led to so many strengths being developed such as on the sports field and in banding.

The exhibition put together by the Benarty Heritage Preservation Group will be a fitting way to mark the anniversary of the closure of the pits but the thing is the success of Ivan Wood and Sons and other local businesses is about the way ahead.

If the Navity Farm concern gets the go-ahead to create a hypermarket connected to their food produce base it will see the public have the opportunity to purchase on-site the vegetables and fruit which is snapped up by the hotel and restaurant industry.

The clock never stops and hopefully the Ivan Wood success story will continue and see even more jobs created by the company.

There could be more success too if their PeelTech operation gets the full backing of the Chip Shop industry.

So a very interesting time in the history of Benarty and hopefully other businesses will flourish too as community organisations such as Benarty Events Group and the Fundraisers make things better for the people of the area.