A new cafe bar set to open in the centre of Wickford will not turn into another late night take-away, its owner has pledged.

Developer Douglas Quirk is pumping £250,000 into opening Bar Centro at the southern end of the High Street. The new venue will create about 20 new jobs.

Building work is due to begin in March, subject to negotiations with planners, with the premises set to open in May or June.

The news comes a month after district councillors reluctantly gave the plans conditional approval because they felt there were already too many take-aways and late-night food shops in the town centre.

However Mr Quirk said: "The council did not want to see another take-away and I have a lot of sympathy with that. That is not my plan and that is not what will happen. Certainly we will probably be serving food but only at lunchtimes."

Mr Quirk said the new bar would have 11am to 11pm opening hours sevens days a week.

Published Monday January 14, 2002