New stunning Ayrshire wedding venue on farm has its own microbrewery

Blackshaw Barns from the sky
-Credit: (Image: Blackshaw Barns)


An ambitious new North Coast wedding venue have been given the go ahead for a licence as owners aim for it to be fully up and running by next spring.

Blackshaw Barns Ltd brought their licence for a provisional premises licence application for the wedding venue at Blackshaw Farm in West Kilbride before last Monday’s North Ayrshire Licensing Board meeting.

The application has had no objections.

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Owners Craig and Carol Tarft are behind the venture.

Craig said: “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.

“We will have assistance from other staff and will have employees serving in the bar at weddings and helping us with grounds maintenance.

“The wedding package offers couples a space in the bar and the wedding, couples book their own outside caterers and any other service they wish.

“In terms of creating work for others, our recommended suppliers include caterers, masters of ceremonies, food trucks, florists and celebrants and photographers.

“All other breweries in Ayrshire, apart from two on Arran have closed and people have to look further afield to Barrhead for a craft beer.

“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 had invited guests to stay in our farmhouse mainly through Airbnb and have had 70 bookings over 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.

Licensing chair Eleanor Collier said it was a great application but as part of it they would have to ensure arrangements were made to ensure that all guests got home given the remoteness of the venue.

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

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