One of the region’s biggest and busiest Wetherspoons will close for 10 weeks amid a £5m refurb.

The Mile Castle in Newcastle, the city’s main spoons and one of its biggest watering holes will close next month until September while major works are carried out.

The pub chain will open a 26-bed hotel, a 3,000sq ft beer garden and carry out refurbishment works in the pub.

The venue, which opened in December 2009, will undergo a full internal refurbishment, including decoration, carpet, upgraded lighting, extending the bar on the third floor and creating a new cellar.

Work will begin on Monday next week (May 13), with the pub closed from Monday, June 24 until its opening day on Tuesday 3 September.

Work on the hotel, which is being built in an adjoining building, formerly the home of law firm Samuel Phillips and home of Dr C J Gibb, will also begin on Monday 13 May with the hotel set to open on Tuesday 12 November.

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Wetherspoon founder and chairman Tim Martin said: “ The investment highlights our commitment to the pub, its customers and staff, as well as the city of Newcastle.

“The Mile Castle is an extremely popular pub and we are confident that our customers will welcome the work being undertaken in the pub as well as the creation of our first hotel in the city.”