BAR and hotel operator Wylam Leisure Group is investing £500,000 in refurbishing one of its venues.

The group is planning to create 24 bedrooms and a bar area at the Queen Vic, on Sunderland sea front, as part of its £4m upgrade of several of its venues across the North-East.

Wylam Leisure has bought an adjoining block of flats to extend the venue.

The group recently acquired the Pullman Lodge Hotel, in Sunderland, and is planning to invest £2m in it.

It also owns The Glass Spider - in which it recently invested £1.5m - and Ttonic and Vision bars in Sunderland city centre, along with the Cheers and Eastender pubs in the surrounding area.

Director Tony Griffiths said: "With the extra investment it should ensure that it becomes even more attractive, not just to the people of Sunderland, but to visitors from outside the area."

Work should take ten weeks.