PUB chain JD Wetherspoon has said it will create 10,000 jobs in the UK over the next four years.

The popular chain said the majority of the £200m investment would happen in small and medium-sized towns.

Plans include opening new pubs and enlarging or improving many exisiting pubs.

Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin said: “We are especially pleased that a large proportion of the investment will be in smaller towns and cities which have seen a decline in investment in recent years.”

It plans about 60 new pubs, and at least four new hotels.

The jobs will be created over a period of time and will be a mixture of pub management, bar staff, kitchen staff, and others. They will be a mixture of full-time and part-time roles.

Wetherspoon has 875 pubs and 58 hotels in the UK and Republic of Ireland and around 44,000 employees.

Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin visited Wetherspoons pubs in Sussex in January to speak to customers about his his views on a no deal Brexit being the best option.