Pub chain JD Wetherspoon is to start its multi-million pound development of the former Warehouse Clearance shop in St Ives next Monday (November 14).

The pub giant submitted plans for the Market Hill site in 2015 and after alterations in plans following talks with neighbours, St Ives Town Council and Huntingdonshire District Council the company is now making progress.

According to the chain the pub will open on April 4, 2017, and will be free of music.

The pub has caused months of dispute over concerns about noise, the impact on other pubs in the town centre and fears about an increase in crime.

Wetherspoon chief executive, John Hutson said: “We are looking forward to opening our new pub in St Ives. Our pubs in the region have enjoyed great success over the years.

“We are confident that people in the town will welcome the new pub and hopefully it will act as a catalyst for other businesses to invest in the area.”

The pub, named The Swan and Angel, will see the chain invest £2million and create 45 new full and part-time jobs for the town.

Carolyn Ormerod, from the chain’s property development team, told The Hunts Post that the name was chosen to represent one of the town’s historic pub.

She said: “In the 18th and 19th centuries, St Ives market was said to be second in size only to Smithfield, in London. It was why the town had more pubs than anywhere else.

“The 64 pubs recorded in 1838 have almost all gone. The Swan and the Angel, marked on an early 18th century map of St Ives, stood on the site of the double-fronted Robin Hood public house, next-door-but one to the JD Wetherspoon premises.”

Photos and information relating to the local history and characters of the area, as well as commissioned artwork, will be on display.

The company were granted a premises license in September by the district council’s licensing sub-committee and will see alcohol served every day from 9am until midnight, and until 1am on Friday and Saturday.