A POPULAR bar in Kilmacolm is getting ready to grow for it and celebrate summer in style - by launching a new garden party next month.

Carriages are hoping their big bash will prove a hit with locals when it kicks off on Saturday August 6.

Bosses at the pub, which recently celebrated its first full year of trading, are planning a full day of events, with live music, a barbecue and a DJ all lined up.

Owner Karen Finnie hopes the idea, which she hatched with managers Ryan Blair and Nathan Carroll, will provide a new way for the local community to enjoy the sunshine.

She said: "We had a trial run at our sister pub, the Fox and Hounds in Houston, with its beer festival.

"We've never had anything like that at Carriages, but it's really good fun, the staff love it and it's great for the community.

"It's a slightly different set-up here with the garden party theme - we'll have cocktails, Prosecco, gin and some beers from local breweries.

"We'll do our best to have a fantastic afternoon.

"The idea for the event came to us during a brainstorming session about how best to use our recently completed beer garden.

"It took thousands of pounds worth of investment to get the beer garden looking this good, but it's already been worthwhile and it'll be even better when we bring people along for the garden party."

The pub management have lined up five solo artists to entertain garden partygoers throughout the day, with local musician Martin Reid hosting the event.

Nathan Carroll, one of Carriages' managers, told the Tele that the team hope the garden party will become a regular fixture of Carriages' calendar.

He said: "We've got a good mix of local acts and well known performers from Glasgow.

"We'll see how it goes this year, but the idea is to build on it every year and make it an annual event.

"We've just put the finishing touches on our new beer garden and it's been steadily picking up every week.

"The festival will be mostly solo artists, with plenty of other entertainment for the folk coming along.

"We've just passed the end of Carriages' first full year open and we wanted to do something special to mark the occasion.

"This is a great way to do that and we're sure it'll be a brilliant event for everyone who comes along."