WETHERSPOON has confirmed it will close its pub in Basildon later this year after plans for hundreds of new homes were approved.

Bosses say staff working at the Moon on the Square will be moved to nearby sites when the pub closes in the autumn.

The building where the pub is based is set to be demolished as part of a huge project to redevelop Basildon town centre.

Plans to replace the building with tower blocks containing 492 homes were approved by a planning inspector last year.

Another scheme for 495 new homes was approved by way of an appeal last week, and will see two more tower blocks built at Town Square.

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Following the rulings, a Wetherspoon spokesman said of the Moon on the Square: “We can confirm that the pub will close in September, but there isn’t an exact date as yet.

“The whole block is being demolished.

“All staff were told of this a while ago and will work at other Wetherspoon pubs in the region.”

Wetherspoon declined to comment further on whether there were plans to set up a new site in Basildon.

The chain’s nearest pubs to the town include the Blue Boar, in Billericay, and The Roebuck on Rayleigh High Street.