A FORMER restaurant is to be transformed into rehearsal space for a popular community theatre.

The Headgate Theatre is in the final stages of taking on the tenancy of the neighbouring former Warehouse restaurant with a vision of converting the building.

Theatre chairman Dave King said: “We are looking to take on a tenancy for the restaurant and convert it into a rehearsal studio, conference facility and meeting room.

“It will provide the theatre which much-needed additional activity space.”

There are businesses on the top floor of the building which will remain.

Gazette: The Warehouse Restaurant in Colchester.

The length of the tenancy will match the tenancy they have on the Headgate Theatre itself.

Mr King said the landlord of the Chapel Street restaurant had supported the community ethos of the theatre.

A new administrator has also been hired.

It was the first time the theatre had advertised a paid post and the administrator will look after the general running of the venue.

Workshops could benefit from the new space including Act Five, an over 55s group which used to run from the Mercury Theatre.

Its weekly sessions were paused at the Mercury as it is undergoing a major £8.9 million redevelopment.

It followed up a proposal to move to the Headgate Theatre.

Mr King said: “Act Five started with us on Monday and they had 42 people attend. Our relationship with the Mercury has been extremely cordial and they have passed on some funding for us to use.”

Staff at the Headgate Theatre are looking forward to the final stages of a lengthy process being completed.

Mr King added: “It’s unbelievably exciting and will provide us with fantastic facilities.”

The theatre hopes to have everything finalised within the next few weeks.

The Warehouse restaurant has closed a number of times in recent years.

It used to be run by Jack and Claire Taylor. Mr Taylor had been in charge for another three year period before moving to the Green Room in North Hill, Colchester, whose owners also owned the Warehouse at the time.

The theatre was realised in 1999 thanks to the Theatre Arts Action Trust, which took on a 25 year lease of the former chapel and raised the £240,000 needed to convert it into a theatre which opened the following year.