By Stewart McConnell

Copyright dailyrecord

Top Ayrshire hotel bosses had a warning shot fired across their bows despite being given the green light for a huge £3m expansion of their facilities. SimpsInns applied to North Ayrshire Licensing Board for a variation of premises licence for the Waterside Hotel in Seamill. The proposed application was to amend the description of the premises by changing the Si! Shack, building at the southern side into a spa facility. The spa includes reception area, changing rooms, treatment rooms, indoor thermal lounge including sauna, steam room, experience showers and relaxation space and outdoor hot tub with seating area and fire pit. Part of the main restaurant will change to accommodate a spa dining area/lounge and the current veranda around the length of the sea-facing side will become fully glazed to become an internal seating area. An additional 17 bedrooms will be added to the north facing side, making 40. Approval was sought for a variation of the license to convert the Si! Shack into a Spa facility as well as adding an additional wing of bedrooms along the function suite gardens extending from the current bedrooms. This current project at the Waterside will create an additional 25 new jobs in the area. Licensing chair Eleanor Collier said: “We are quite surprised you have waited so long for the application given that your rooms are finished, your spa is almost finished and you got planning last year.” Brian Hutchison, operations director apologised for the delay, admitting it was “unacceptable” and he could not defend it although admitted the design had changed “umpteen times” and they didn’t want to keep coming back with a proposal that was going to change down the line. He added they were not trying to avoid the application. The chair added: “You are advertising the new bedrooms on your website for pre-drinks receptions but they are not licensed currently and you don’t have licensing permission yet.” Mr Hutchison said: “We have removed a bar area with one less point of sale within the venue going forward. “That is a change of demographic in terms of what we are looking for which is more in line with the spa and wellness which is not promoting alcohol the way we would have been previously with our food and beverage outlet in the Si! Shack.” Cllr Cameron Inglis said it was “unacceptable” to bring forward the application so late. The chair said: “There is extreme disappointment you have come now and not previously. We hope you take that on board. We are surprised about the fact that you have other businesses and are familiar with licensing so why do we get to this position. I think you have got that message now.” Cllr Christina Larsen said: “One thing we do not like is businesses to think our heads button up the back as they absolutely do not and we hope you take this as a lesson. “ She proposed to grant the application and this was seconded by cllr Donald L Reid and passed unanimously. Cllr Collier added: “The application is granted and good luck with your new development.”