AYR Rugby Club might not get to hold a Beer Festival this summer - due to worries it might not be family friendly.

President Billy McHarg addressed South Ayrshire Council's Licensing Board in a bid to get the festival approval.

However, strong concerns were raised by licensing standards officer Catrina Andrew about the whole event.

She said: " I was given the impression that the club had decided to postpone any larger plans to the following year to give them time to investigate the requirements further, have more planning time and apply for any additional permissions and may simply hold a small tasting type of event or real ale day on their currently licensed premises.

"An occasional licence application was received by licensing services on April 20 2016 for a Beer Festival and the ‘other activities’ listed on the form include acoustic music, food and children’s fairground.

"Besides the children’s fairground this event appears to be very much tailored to a drinking environment with the music only being a background to the opportunity to sample a number of different alcoholic drinks.

"The advert in the Burns Festival programme is clearly marketing the event as a ‘Beer Festival’ with pictures of alcohol on the poster and the recognised image of Robert Burns even being altered to reflect the look of beer with bubbles and froth.

"For this reason I am concerned that this may not meet the licensing objective ‘Protecting Children from Harm’ as it clearly suggests a day of significant drinking, but the added feature of a children’s fairground is to allow people who are drinking to occupy their children."

Mr McHarg mounted his case to the Board and said: "Ayr Rugby Club take everything very seriously.

"We have 350 kids play rugby, the club is struggling and the aim is to raise funds to keep it going.

"Anyone under 18 will not be allowed in without an adult.

"Four stewards willed hired for the day.

"We are a club of the community, for the community."

Cllr Mary Kilpatrick said: "I've attended lots of things in Ayr Rugby Club and they are always well run.

"I do have concerns about the adverts, that need to be addressed. "

Cllr Rita Miller said: "I can't see how we can grant this without another conversation taking place."

Licensing Board chairwoman Cllr Ann Galbraith said: "There are so many aspects we are not happy with.

"We will reconvene on Monday and hopefully we can find something satisfactory."