A Worle pub will be converted into a nursery.

The Woodspring will be converted into a nursery for 100 babies and children up to the age of five in April.

The pub’s owners instructed Fleurets, which specialise in public houses, to market a free of tie lease for the Woodspring in June 2019.

With no interest forthcoming, the owners amended the instruction in October to the sale of the freehold.

The converted pub, in High Street, would open from 7am until 7pm from Monday to Friday and employ 21 staff.

The existing beer garden would be retained to provide an area of outdoor play space.

The plan received 87 objections and six letters of support on the council’s planning portal.

North Somerset Council planning officers said: “The council accepts the use as a public house is no longer a viable business and seeking an alternative use would be appropriate.

“The building until recently served as a public house, and so is considered a community facility.

“The proposed use as a children’s nursery would also be a community asset, so it would retain community value to local residents.

“The nursery should provide children with a secure access controlled gated and fenced outdoor play area.

“Gating the vehicle entrance would prevent nuisance vehicle use of the car park when the nursery is not in use.”

There will be some alterations to the parking and layout, however, due to the surrounding use of the existing High Street, these are unlikely to have a detrimental impact on the character of the area.

Weston Town Council did not object to the proposal but urged potential traffic problems to be considered.

Officers also said the proposal is unlikely to adversely increase noise nuisance in the area as the proposed use would be predominantly in the day time, when the High Street would be in use.

There will remain a choice of two alternative pubs in the High Street; The Lamb and The Golden Lion, and The Old Kings Head in The Scaurs, all within a short walk of the site.