A BIG-TIME South Ayrshire businessman has been warned over his conduct by licensing chiefs.

Bill Costley, owner of Costley and Costley Hoteliers, the parent company of Souters Inn in Kirkoswald, Alloway's Brig O'Doon House Hotel and the Lochgreen House Hotel in Troon was told that he was on thin ice by South Ayrshire Council's licensing board last week.

It comes after a cock-up by his company almost cost the Ayrshire Hospice the chance to host their Silver Anniversary Summer Ball on Saturday (June 7) at the Lochgreen.

Lochgreen House Hotel manager Craig Harvey and trainee bar manager Alan McGhee, who has now been put in charge of licensing administration tasks appeared in front of the licensing board and suffered the wrath of angry councillors as plans for a marquee at the ball were passed.

And after turning up 15 minutes late for the specially arranged hearing, they were forced to apologise from the off and Mr Harvey said: "We're sorry we didn't do it within the correct time frame.

"It kind of got, not forgotten about, but time slipped away from us. This is the third year in a row that we've been hosting the event. We are very sorry that it's taken quite a long time to get this organised. We weren't trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes." Mr Harvey's colleague Mr McGhee was interrogated over his personal licence - or lack of one - by Councillor Ian Douglas. Councillor Douglas asked the young trainee bar manager about whether or not he had a personal licence and had to coax him into answering "no", after he initially appeared to suggest that he already had one.

Councillor Douglas added: "I'd hope that you were not deliberately trying to pull the wool over the board's eyes. I asked you a specific question and you answered it.

"The person currently running the licensed regime doesn't currently hold a premises licence." Troon Councillor Peter Convery was furious about what he perceived as a lack of professionalism from the company. He told the men: "For a professional company I find it really quite disturbing that you're so unorganised in relation to licensing. You can take it away that we do have concerns. You want to be professional so you have to put the building blocks in place to make that happen.

"If this wasn't for the hospice I would find it very difficult to give you anything.

"The other thing I want you to take back is that this committee has a very strong view with ice. You are on very very thin ice now." Council tax payers will pick up the bill for the specially arranged meeting, something Depute Provost Mary Kirkpatrick blasted the company for, while licensing board chair Ann Galbraith added: "The administration side of licensing is just as important as having nice food or putting on events. You've got in by the skin of your teeth.

"We appreciated what Mr Costley has done in this area but want you to know that you'd have been in real trouble if you hadn't realised that this had happened." The board saved the company's blushes and allowed the ball to go ahead for the Ayrshire Hospice.