A NEW watering hole is to be built beside Swindon’s canal.

Brewers Hall and Woodhouse have been given planning permission to build a new café, bar and restaurant in the Wichelstowe Canalside development.

Work on the bar will begin in February, with the first pint pulled in January 2019.

Hall and Woodhouse hope that the bar, which will face Waitrose across the canal, will become an all-day venue. The building’s design is based on 200-year-old canalside boatyards and warehouses, they said.

Anthony Woodhouse, Hall and Woodhouse’s managing director, said: “It’s a great privilege to be entrusted by Swindon Borough Council to develop this prestigious site. We aim to create a true heart to Wichelstowe.

“The Canalside café, bar and restaurant, adjacent to the new town square, opposite the beautiful Waitrose will be a wonderful facility for local residents, business people and visitors to use as their third place – between home and work.”

The council said they were “pleased” to be bringing pub chain Hall and Woodhouse to Wichelstowe.

Toby Elliott, cabinet member for strategic planning and sustainability, said: “We have been particularly impressed with its new establishments in Bath, Portishead and Poundbury and believe the company can bring the expertise we require for creating Canalside, Wichelstowe, as the heart of the new community.

“We think it will be very popular with local businesses, residents and the thousands of people who visit Wichelstowe every year.”