Secret talks have taken place over superpub plans for council offices in Forfar town centre.
National pub chain JD Wetherspoon are eyeing up premises at the Cross including the office of the Angus provost for their first multi-million-pound venture in the burgh.
The firm owns more than 900 outlets across the UK, including the Corn Exchange in Arbroath, and has approached Angus Council about buying one of its under-occupied premises.
It is understood the firm, which has also entered into the hotel market, has looked at several large sites in the town over the past decade.
Opinion on the move is split ahead of crunch council talks set for Tuesday.
A number of sites have been rumoured for the firm’s move to the centre of town, including the members’ services building that houses the provost’s office.
But a JD Wetherspoon representative said “nothing firm” has been agreed between the company and Angus Council.
It is understood a building at the Cross is chief among a list of possible sites second to county premises.
Tuesday’s special committee, which will be held in private at the nearby Forfar Town and County Hall at 1pm, will discuss the “proposed purchase of a council building”.
The council confirmed it has had recent dealings with the firm.
A spokesman said: “As a council we are always looking to engage with businesses with regards to economic development opportunities for Angus.
“As such, we engage with businesses across the UK frequently, one of them in recent times has been Wetherspoon’s.”
One of the first sites earmarked for takeover was the former Royal Hotel, which closed its doors in June 2010, leaving the prominent town centre building lying empty.
However JD Wetherspoon never officially confirmed its interest, due to a policy of not commenting on individual sites, and no official bid was ever made.
There were reports the chain’s interest was piqued by the potential of buying David Irons & Sons Ltd, one of the town’s oldest remaining businesses, which closed in June.
The Earl of Strathmore bought the Castle Street store in 2005 from Marshall and Michael Irons, whose great-great-grandfather George established the business in 1840.
The family turned down a higher bid by the firm at that time.
JD Wetherspoon spokesman Ashley Weller said: “Wetherspoon is interested in the town and has spoken to the local council regarding a number of possible locations. But (there is) nothing firm as yet.”
Businessman and pub owner Alan Hampton said he believes the move would undercut businesses.
“Inevitably it will cost local jobs and end up enslaving another group of Forfarians to McJobs at minimum wage,” he said. “We’ve already lost Irons recently, for which the owner blamed Angus Council policy on inviting national chains into our town.
“I have no worries about it taking on (Mr Hampton’s pub) Bar 10 but do think other pubs dependent on food and standard pints will be decimated.
“This will be a fresh licensing application which if, I suspect, had been made by an individual would have been dismissed out of hand.”
A businesswoman and publican, who asked not to be named, said: “I think the addition of a big chain on our High Street maybe the biggest in the licensed trade will probably have more than one effect.
“If this is going to be a ‘stack them high, sell them low’ drink and food outlet, like there is in Arbroath, then I can see a handful of pubs closing,” she said.
“People will go where they think is cheap and if you can eat a meal for a fiver at the same time, I can’t see that not having an effect.
“But then there are only a few places locally where you can stay the night, and no big venues. If they bring a big hotel here, that would elevate the likes of the Forfar Gala and the yearly music festival.”