A bid to bring a JD Wetherspoon pub to Gorleston High Street has taken a step forward after the pub chain applied for a premises licence.

People have until April 15 to make their views known, raising any objections within a strict 28 day deadline.

The chain announced it had snapped up the prime location at the former GT Motors site and was looking to make a £1.5m investment creating 45 jobs last summer.

A spokesman said at the time that an opening date was “a way off.”

The pub has applied to sell alcohol from 9am to midnight Sunday to Wednesday, closing at 1am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The application does not cover live music.

A spokesman for the borough council’s licensing department said anyone could make an objection within a 28 day period from submission. If none were raised the license would be granted.

However if there were valid concerns that satisfied licensing criteria the decision would be made by a licensing sub-committee of three councillors.

Eddie Gershon spokesman for Wetherspoons said the application highlighted that the company was committed to the project and was taking all the right steps.

At the time of the announcement the prospect of a new cut-price pub was hailed by some as a further boost to Gorleston as its reputation as a shopping and night-out

destination grew.

But concerns were also raised about the impact on traditional pubs and cafés in the area, which were already under pressure and faced being undercut.

Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis said it was “great news” for the town, which was already holding its own and bucking national retail trends.