PORTSMOUTH — A taste of Great Britain is coming to downtown Portsmouth.

PORTSMOUTH — A taste of Great Britain is coming to downtown Portsmouth.



The British Beer Co., a restaurant and pub chain headquartered in Plymouth, Mass., has signed a lease to move into a commercial space at 99 Hanover St., founder Gary Simon announced Tuesday. The new restaurant and pub will take up 5,800 square feet of commercial space below the Residences at Portwalk development.



It is tentatively expected to open in April.



Simon said the opening date is contingent upon the business gaining all necessary approvals from the city for exterior signage. The business is expected to go before the city's Historic District Commission today.



Having opened a location in Manchester in June, Simon said the new Portsmouth restaurant will be the 13th for the company.



"New Hampshire is a market we have always wanted to venture into," he said. "This is a great spot for us in such a great town."



In addition to a full menu, Simon said the pub will have 38 beers on tap. He said a unique aspect of the pub is that everything inside it is made in England.



"We have craftsmen over in England that make the bar for us and our unique seating and leather booths," he said. "We try and stay as authentic to a British pub as possible."



The restaurant will have about 165 seats, he said.



Employees of the restaurant are also taken to England for a week to gain experience working in an actual British pub, Simon said. "They go over and see what real pubs are like and hopefully they bring that back with them," he said.