A NEW family pub, complete with sunny beer garden, threw open its doors to residents and visitors in Nailsea yesterday.

The Glassmaker, originally The Glasshouse, now owned by national pub chain JD Wetherspoon, has extended and completely refitted the Crown Glass Place pub at a cost of �1.3 million.

Town centre manager James Lucas cut the ribbon at 8am, to officially launch the gastro-pub which has created 40 new jobs, including the first pub for manager Siobhain Sincock.

Siobhain, who has worked for the company for four and a half years and has re-located from Exeter especially to take up the post, said she was ‘really excited’ about the launch.

She said: “We have mainly taken on people from Nailsea, with one from Bristol, and have been busy with training sessions in customer service and how to pull a good pint.

“Nailsea seems a really nice town and I’m glad Wetherspoon has provided a pub for families here.”

Photos, local historic artwork and information boards relating to the heritage and characters of the area, will be displayed in the pub.

There is also commissioned artwork, with glass mosaic pieces and a glass bottle wall in the beer garden, made from recycled bottles from two Wetherspoon pubs in Bristol.

The new pub will specialise in real ales, serving a wide range of beers, including those from local and regional brewers.

Hours of business will be from 8am-midnight Sunday to Thursday and 8am-1am Friday and Saturday, with food being served until 10pm.