THERE'S a new place to raise a glass in town today as Basingstoke sees the opening of its latest pub.

The new watering hole is on the site of an old coaching inn - The Maidenhead Inn - in Winchester Street at the Top of the Town, and has taken on the name.

Until recently, the building was occupied by the Halifax. Pub chain J D Wetherspoon has spent £1.2million transforming the premises into a modern bar.

Twenty-five jobs are being created at the pub, which will be managed by Fergus Hanrahan.

The Maidenhead Inn will be completely music-free and there are no pool tables. It will have a designated non-smoking area, accounting for approximately one-third of the customer space.

Paintings, photos and text relating to the history and characters of the area, together with specially-commissioned artwork, will be displayed in the pub.

Fergus said: "I'm looking forward to welcoming people into the pub.

"I'm confident that The Maidenhead Inn will be a good addition to the town's social scene."

The Maidenhead will be open from 10am to 11pm from Monday to Saturday and from noon to 10.30pm on Sunday.