Oxford's newest pub will honour one of the city's comedy connections when it opens its doors next month.

The Four Candles, in George Street, is named after a famous sketch in the vintage BBC comedy series, The Two Ronnies, and is the first Wetherspoon establishment in the city centre.

The pub, which will create 40 new jobs when it opens on Monday, August 4, takes its unique name from the famous sketch in which Ronnie Barker is given four candles after walking into a hardware store - asking for fork handles. Originally known as The Hardware Store or Annie Finkhouse, the Four Candles sketch was first broadcast on BBC1 on September 4, 1976.

The laughs come from shopkeeper Ronnie Corbett's increasing frustration at Ronnie Barker's requests for household items.

The script was sold at auction for £48,500 in December and the sketch was ranked number five in Channel Four's 50 Greatest Comedy Sketches of All Time.

Mr Barker, who lived near Chipping Norton, attended the City of Oxford High School for Boys, which occupied a site just yards from the new-look pub.

The name was chosen from a shortlist which included TE Lawrence - after Lawrence of Arabia, who also attended the school - and Bishop Trellick, which had been the title of a former pub behind George Street which was closed to make way for university buildings.

The venue, which has undergone a £400,000 refurbishment, was purchased by Wetherspoon in the spring after the closure of the Slug & Lettuce.

Regional manager Heath Curley said: "All the responses we had to the suggested names said The Four Candles was a good name. Wetherspoon has almost 700 pubs and they all have unique names that reflect their history."

The Four Candles will serve food all day and be open from 9am until midnight from Sundays to Thursdays and between 9am and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Mr Curley, whose company also runs The William Morris in Cowley, said: "There will also be information boards and photos about Ronnie Barker displayed inside."

He added: "We are delighted to have secured a venue in Oxford. We were very keen to open up a city centre pub and we will be looking for more in Oxford."

Pub manager Sam Newman said: "I am looking forward to welcoming customers."