A WELL-KNOWN pub chain is set to move into Portishead as the town continues to grow as a popular business and leisure destination.

Work has started on site to create a new pub restaurant as well as two retail units off Harbour Road.

The £4million project is being carried out by Loc8 Developments, which also built the town’s Lidl, Travelodge and Subway which this latest scheme will sit next to.

Contractors for Persimmon Homes have already been on site creating a new access road and this week work began on building the new units.

The retail units will become home to Majestic Wine and Home Bargains, while the 6,000sqft pub restaurant will be taken over by well-known chain, Wetherspoon.

Plans for the development were approved in November last year, when Loc8 Developments managing director Mark Kennedy said Portishead was ‘an expanding town with good demographics’ which is why businesses want to open there.

Talking this week, Mr Kennedy added: “We hope to complete the project by summer next year.

“Wetherspoon has always wanted to do something in Portishead and has looked at other sites in the town but I convinced them to come to my project.”

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon confirmed the company has been looking to open in Portishead for some time.

He said: “The company has exchanged contracts on the site which is being developed and are now in the hands of the developer to complete the site.

“We have been keen to open a pub in Portishead for a number of years and are pleased that we are now closer to realising that.

“We believe that a Wetherspoon pub would be good for the town and hopefully act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in the area.”