A “GHOST town” is set to be revived with the opening of a £3.6million Wetherspoons pub.
The King of Essex will be built over two floors of a former Poundworld in Basildon, and is expected to be one of the chain’s biggest boozers.
Basildon is jokingly known as Bas Vegas for its out-of-town entertainment complex of bars and restaurants and Hollywood-style sign.
But locals have long moaned about the town centre for its boarded-up shops and say it’s dead at night.
There isn’t a single pub in the town centre – but residents desperate for a pint will soon have a night out as work is due to start in a matter of weeks.
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We are looking forward to developing our new pub in Basildon.
“The town had a Wetherspoon pub for many years and we are confident that the new pub will be even better and a great addition to Basildon’s social scene.
“The level of investment highlights Wetherspoon’s commitment to the town and its residents.”
Jody Bird, 58, a retired local, said: “It’ll be much more lively in Basildon now and means we’ll have somewhere to go at night.”
Her friend, Tina Snell, 61, added: “When the new pub opens, we’ll all feel a lot safer when we’re out on the town at weekends. And The King of Essex, what a brilliant name for a pub.”
Mental health nurse, Marius Abalassi, 34, and his wife, Ioana, say they are looking forward to eating out with their small children at the new venue.
The King of Essex is due to open its doors in late November and will create 70 new jobs.
