National pub chain Wetherspoon has confirmed it has bought an empty shop in Sheerness and hopes to create 40 jobs in the town.

Last month we revealed how the company was looking at the former premises of electrical suppliers Brittain & Hobbs in the High Street.

The deal was completed on Monday for an undisclosed sum.

It is now subject to planning and licensing permission being granted and spokesman Eddie Gershon said an application will be made to Swale council ‘soon’.

If approved, once the firm is on site the pub would take around four months to develop and would create 40 jobs.

Although some town landlords are worried about the impact it could have, other businesses nearby have welcomed it.

Joanne Pavitt, who owns Megadale Estates, says the number of jobs it will bring is fantastic. “I think it can only be a good thing for the high street,” she said.

“It needs the premises to be full – there’s too many empty ones.

“This end of the high street is getting very sad so I think it will help bring more trade down this end.”

Dan Harimat, manager of school uniform shop Forsters, said although some residents may be slightly concerned, especially at closing time, he thinks in general it is positive.

“It makes good business sense and it’s good for the high street to have something rather than an empty shop and it will be good to create jobs,” he said.

“It will nice if we are working late to pop in for a drink or meal.”

There has been no word on what the pub might be called but Mr Gershon said they always aim to choose something relevant to the local area and they could run a naming competition.

He added: “We are as keen as ever to open a Wetherspoon pub in the town and we believe it will be good for ourselves and the town and hopefully attract other businesses to invest in the area.”

Brittain & Hobbs went into liquidation in January 2012 after nearly 40 years of trading.