A Dreghorn petrol station has been given the go-ahead to sell alcohol.

The "modest" change will form a small part of £520,000 improvement work being carried out a the Annick Service Station.

It comes after owner Motor Fuels put in an application for a provisional premises licence with North Ayrshire Council - which was heard at a meeting of the licencing committee earlier this week.

It asked for an alcohol display measuring 7.09 square metres at the BP site located only a few hundred metres from Greenwood Academy.

The applicant said that if granted, a further £20,000 would be spent by the owner on re-fitting works for the alcohol provision.

Legal representative Andrew Hunter told North Ayrshire licensing board on Monday it was  “a very modest request”.

Mr Hunter said granting the application would pave the way for two or three new members of staff.

Motor Fuels has another local premises in Girdle Toll but it has a much larger alcohol section.

The new service, said Mr Hunter, would “complete a convenience offer” at the premises after a significant investment.

He added that the company is "clearly reliable" as it operates over 50 licensed premises across Scotland, including the Girdle Toll outlet, and if it was not being run properly, consistent with licensing objectives, "folk would know all about it".

Councillor Christina Larson said there were already shops nearby which are licenced to sell alcohol - including one which is just over half-a-mile away.

However, Mr Hunter insisted people in the area relied on the premises.

Licensing chair Eleanor Collier granted the application, saying that the display being “modest” was a part of her reasoning.