Top Colchester nightclub the Hippodrome has been sold as part of an £8.5 million deal.
Entrepreneur Steve Peri spent millions of pounds giving the historic Hippodrome a total makeover after he bought the nightclub in 1998 from Rank Entertainment.
Now Mr Peri has decided to sell the club to Northern Leisure.
The price is being kept secret, but Northern Leisure bosses confirmed they splashed out £8.5 million buying the Hippodrome and two other nightclubs this week.
Peter Marks, divisional managing director for Northern Leisure, promised very little would change at the club.
He said: "We bought this club because it is a very successful business, and who are we to change that?"
He said no jobs would be lost, and there were no plans to change the layout of the club.
The group now owns clubs across Essex, including Club Zeus in Chelmsford and Rumours in Clacton.
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