WELLINGTON'S Wetherspoon pub was confirmed to be moving in this time back in 2014.
The Iron Duke moved into Wellington's Old Town Hall back in 2014, officially opening up to the public on August 30.
The Wetherspoon chain had been eyeing up potential sites in the town for some time and, as revealed in the County Gazette in February that year, the old Town Hall was the favoured destination.
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In a statement released in 2014, a spokesperson from Wetherspoon said: “We have exchanged on the old Town Hall in Fore Street. We are moving in the right direction, but we still require planning and licensing permission.
“Wellington is a good town and a place we are keen to open up in.”
At the time, Wetherspoon added that the firm could not put a timescale on any potential opening as there were still some formalities to be done, such as applying to Taunton Deane Council for a licence.
Before the deal in 2014, Wellington's Old Town Hall housed several small businesses, however, some people believed the building was an ideal site for a Wetherspoon's due to its size.
One of the people who believed a Wetherspoon's pub replacing the Old Town Hall was a good idea was Keith Wheatley, who was the vice-chairman of the Wellington Business Association at the time.
Keith said: "When big coffee chain Coffee#1 opened in town, there was some scepticism that it would put the cafés out of business, but it hasn't.
“I think a Wetherspoon would pull in people who do not use the current town centre pubs, so there is a whole new audience for a modern, family-friendly pub.
“There is certainly a gap in the town centre that Wetherspoon could fill, but I don't think existing pubs need to worry. Any energetic, forward-thinking company is always welcome in the town.”
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