LANDLORDS have warned a proposed Wetherspoon branch in Witney could be “another nail in the coffin” for some of the town’s best-loved pubs.

The cut-price chain has applied to open a pub in the former Palace nightclub in Market Square, opening from 7am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and staying open until 1am on Friday and Saturday.

Alcohol would go on sale at 9am every morning.

Rival publicans in the town said the arrival of Wetherspoon, which has sold beer for as little as 99p per pint, would threaten already struggling businesses.

Steve Thompson, the landlord of The Angel opposite the site, said: “None of us are over-enamoured. Witney has more than its fair share of pubs. It is going to be another nail in the coffin for us.”

Chamber of Commerce chairman Lesley Semaine, who owns The Royal Oak in High Street, said there were also concerns about plans for a beer garden.

She added: “Wetherspoon has a reputation of being cheap and cheerful, and has normally attracted not-the-best elements. If everyone loses a small proportion of business, the market is going to be even more saturated.”

The pub chain, which has yet to complete the deal to buy the pub, has applied for planning permission to convert the empty nightclub.

Spokesman Eddie Gershon said the £800,000 investment would create 40 jobs.

West Oxfordshire Council is due to make a decision by February 15.