The date when a national pub and restaurant chain will pull its first pint in Sheerness has been announced.

Wetherspoon was given the go ahead to move into the High Street in February and it was granted an alcohol licence in March.

A £1.2 million refurbishment of the former Brittain and Hobbs electrical goods store has begun.

The date when doors will open to customers has been set as July 22, however, a spokesman for the Watford-based company said this is subject to change.

Recruitment for about 40 jobs started this week, via Sheerness Jobcentre in Millennium Way.

The venue will be named The Belle and Lion, after the first public house to be built in Mile Town, a historic conservation area which includes the High Street.

John Hutson, Wetherspoon chief executive, said: “We are looking forward to opening in Sheerness. We believe that the pub will be welcomed and be an asset to the town. It will hopefully act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in the area.

“Wetherspoon has been keen to open in Sheerness for a while and we are pleased that this is coming to fruition.”

The ground floor and three two-bedroom flats on the first and second floors will be converted and a storage unit at the back will be knocked down to make way for a 193sqm extension and a landscaped beer garden.

Toilets and a storeroom will be created on the first floor and a staff room, office and storage space on the second floor.

Concerns were raised when the application was submitted about the impact Wetherspoon will have on other pubs and restaurants and on the historic conservation area and about noise from customers leaving at closing time, which is 1am.