Wetherspoons is opening a new branch in a market town previously named the most expensive in the country, with the average house going for more than £1million. The pub giant, which has more than 800 boozers across the country, will be coming to the Buckinghamshire town of Beaconsfield after getting the green light from town planners.

The new pub, set to be called The Chiltern, will open at 12 – 14 Station Road, Beaconsfield, in premises formerly used by Italian restaurant Prezzo, Bucks Free Press reports. JD Wetherspoon was granted permission by Buckinghamshire Council to reopen the building as a pub and restaurant following an application in January, as per the outlet.

The plans revealed the firm was looking to make various changes on the site, including: “At the ground floor, some of the smaller rooms are proposed to be reconfigured to create a kitchen and cooled store at the ground floor level.

“The bar will also be located at this floor which will serve a spacious customer area," the plans, reported by Bucks Free Press read, in part.

"There will also be a glass wash, office, accessible toilet, stairs to access the first floor and a separate access to the apartment, with a private stairway.”

Analysis by banking firm Halifax back in 2021 found Beaconsfield to be the priciest market town in the UK by some way, with the average house costing a whopping £1,134,293.

Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire was a distant second with an average price of £858,772, followed by Alresford in Hampshire on £703,371.

According to property portal Rightmove, house prices in the town have an overall average of £1,133,675 over the last year.

The majority of properties sold there over this period were detached properties, which sold for £1,478,035 on average.

Semi-detached homes went for £711,556 on average, with flats going for £555,188, according to the website.

Meanwhile, JD Wetherspoon is planning to grow its footprint to more than 1,000 sites through franchise agreements with hotel restaurants.

The brand's founder Sir Tim Martin revealed last year that 900-1000 pubs might be the most it can expand further.

It's looking to expand its vast porfolio of boozers across the country into hotels, partnering with property adviser Christie & Co as it looks to provide “cost-effective" conversions of existing hotel restaurants that are “underperforming”, as per The Caterer.com.

The business broker said it will assist the chain in seeking franchise partners, which will be supported by the company's design teams as well as getting access to its expertise, supply chain, training and marketing resources.