A new pub could open in the centre of Bath this year after a major pub chain was granted permission to refurbish a historic city-centre building.

Located at the top of Milsom Street at the corner with George Street, the towering old Victorian bank building was most recently home to the Loch Fyne Fish Restaurant. 

Pub chain Greene King are now in the process of converting the Grade II listed building into a "gastro-pub."

Planning permission was granted by Bath and North East Somerset Council in October but the pub chain must wait for their construction plan to be approved. They hope to start work on January 4 and have the pub ready by mid-March.

The work will include moving the kitchen, which is currently on the ground floor, into the basement to increase space for tables and chairs. There will also be trees and ferns installed in the outdoor terrace area.

Greene King said: "Much of the customer floor area will continue to be dining focused with only a relatively small area in front of a new bar given over to 'upright' drinking."

They added: "As pubs are community facilities, the change of use [from restaurant to pub] directly delivers a public benefit by creating a new community facility."

Greene King already runs three other pubs in Bath: the Westgate on Westgate Street, the Saracen's Head on Broad Street, and the Bear Inn in Bear Flat.

The new pub will be part of their Metropolitan Pub Company brand, the same as the Bear Inn.

As set out in the planning permission decision, customers will only be served and allowed on the premises until 11pm Sunday–Wednesday and midnight Thursday–Saturday.