Work has begun to transform the Co-Co building at the top of Caerphilly town into a Wetherspoon pub.
The pub chain has said it is spending £1.325million to turn the eyesore into ‘The Billingsley Rose’ named after a of a type of porcelain produced in Nantgarw by William Billingsley in the 1800s.
The former Blockbuster store also forms part of the development which will open its doors to customers on October 11 this year.
It is expected that 40 jobs will be created in the music-free establishment. The company has said it will be child-friendly and specialise in real ale
JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said: “We are looking forward to opening our new pub in Caerphilly.
“We believe that it will prove popular with people of all ages and be an asset to the town.”
The deal to redevelop the building into a pub was first officially announced in March.
At the time, Cllr Ron Davies, cabinet member for regeneration and countryside said: “This is fantastic news for Caerphilly town centre and we are delighted that this key building is to receive a complete makeover after being an eyesore for so many years.
This is good news, this building has blighted the South of the town for far too long, driving out businesses and portraying Caerffili in a poor light the many tourists who visit from all around the world. I have campaigned for years, alongside independent town councillors, to get this area tidied up.
I am pleased to see that there will be no music and that we will be able to buy a selection of real beers. I am not against music, I listen to live bands most weekends, but this is will be the only pub where conversation is not made difficult by a jukebox. Great name too, 'The Billingsley Rose' has a touch of class and commemmorates a local industry whose product was world class in its day.
All I can say is he piri piri chicken curry I had in blackwoods wetherspoons was ………. Fowl!
Good advice from Allan Rees, if you are hungry stay away from pub grub. In the town centre it is rubbish!