A NEW North Ayrshire wedding venue has been granted an alcohol licence by council chiefs - and its owners are aiming to have it fully up and running by next spring.

Blackshaw Barns Ltd brought their application for the site at Blackshaw Farm in West Kilbride before a recent meeting of the local authority's licensing board, with no objections received.

Owners Craig and Carol Tarft are behind the venture, and the pair shared their delight on social media following confirmation that the provisional premises licence had been approved for sales of booze from a licensed bar and off-sales from an on-site microbrewery.

Mr Tarft told the council meeting: “Carol and I bought the farm in April 2021 and it is our family home.

“Planning permission was granted in May 2022 for the use of the farm as a wedding venue and microbrewery.

“We are redeveloping two outbuildings which will hopefully be ready later this year for weddings and have weddings booked for next April.

“We came here to set up our own family business to work on something we are passionate about. I work full-time on the business and Carol works part-time as a project manager in Glasgow. As we move into the operational phase we will both work full-time.

“We are project managers and I have a personal alcohol licence granted in August 2023 and a brewer and qualified beer judge.

“Permission from HMRC to sell beer at Blackshaw was granted in July this year.

“This allows us to sell to wholesalers and retailers and not direct to the public. We are supported by local suppliers.

“Our support from local people has exceeded expectations."

The owner added: “Our business model allows us to offer craft beers to those visiting a wedding and those locally either direct to the brewery or a local outlet, pubs, shops and restaurants.

“The normal expectation is for weddings a maximum of two days a week - a Wednesday and Saturday, although our business model will allow them to be any day of the week.

“The wedding couple can stay in the farmhouse but it would not form part of the licensed premises.

“Over the past two years we have invited guests to stay in our farmhouse mainly through Airbnb and have had 70 bookings for the farmhouses with all reviews rating us five stars.”

Mr Tarft said the farm business had a good relationship with their three neighbours within a one mile radius and engaged with them all through the application process.

The brewery and wedding venue would be considered as one business, he added.

The application was approved after a motion from Cllr Ronnie Stalker was unanimously passed.