Wellington Town Hall could become a pub. Talks are being held between the historic building's current owners and expanding pub company JD Wetherspoon.

Neighbouring Taunton already has two busy Wetherspoon premises. The Perkin Warbeck was opened in 1997 and the chain's policies of no music, no pool tables, and reasonably priced beer and food led to a second site, The Coal Orchard, opening earlier this year.

Wetherspoon's spokesman, Eddie Gershon, confirmed that the company was interested in the Town Hall

"We'd love to be able to do a deal," said Mr Gershon. "We are talking about it but we haven't got any further than that at this stage. If this project comes to fruition, we'd love to open the Town Hall as a Wetherspoon pub."

Wetherspoon has been in business since 1979 and currently own 550 pubs across Britain.

The company aims to open 100 more venues each year, spreading out from cities and large towns into smaller towns and the company's interest in Wellington follows news that Chard's former Cerdic cinema is to open as a Wetherspoon pub.

The Town Hall fits the Wetherspoon image of taking historic or distinctive buildings like cinemas and banks and converting them into large, popular pubs.

Built in 1833, the Town Hall became the Rex Cinema in 1938 and currently houses a number of businesses including an estate agent, clothes shop and accountant.