Sylvia’s Soapy Suds in Ardrossan is a laundrette by name, but for their customers, they offer so much more than that.

That’s what the woman in charge, Dora Kane, believes set the Glasgow Street business apart as they won the ‘Best Laundry Business’ award at the recent Ayrshire Business Awards.

Dora’s mum, Sylvia, took over the business nearly 11 years ago after her mother was taken into residential care.

Dora told the Herald: “My mum had to find something to do, so she decided it was time to do something for herself.”

Since then, Sylvia has passed the business on to her daughter - but she still can’t help but come in and offer a hand.

Sylvia’s has become a cherished feature of the Ardrossan community, and to many it can be so much more than laundrette.

Dora explained: “Because we are a small family business and we all live locally, a lot of people say they like that. That they know what they are coming into.”

Dora runs the business alongside close friends Elaine and Laura, who she describes as “like family”.

She continued: “A lot of our customers just come in for a chit chat. We even did deliveries during Covid - a lot of the older ones liked that.

“It gave them something to get through Covid, they felt comfortable.”

Dora credited her customers for not only their award win, but getting them through the pandemic as well.

She was also thankful for her mum Sylvia, and said: “If it wasn’t for her starting this nearly 11 years ago, we wouldn’t be where we are now.”