THE regeneration of Colchester’s Hythe has suffered a blow after plans to open an antiques centre there were shelved at the last minute.

Halstead Antiques Centre had planned to open a second base in a 12,000 sq ft disused warehouse, off Haven Road, by the end of the year.

But after winning planning permission in September, bosses yesterday announced they had to scrap the plans because the cost of heating the building was too high.

Ken Hewitt, who runs the Halstead centre, said heating or insulating the derelict warehouse, most recently used as a kitchen workshop, would cost three times the budget set aside. He said: “Previously, you might have had half a dozen blokes in boiler suits, so the building didn’t need insulating.

“Because we would have had members of the public walking round, we would have needed to heat the building, which would have cost us an arm and a leg.

“It was three times our budget, which was just crazy.

“We could have spent a fortune insulating the building, but financially, it just didn’t make sense.”

Halstead Antiques Centre started looking for a second home after amassing a 30-strong waiting list for traders wanting space at its Townsford Mill base. The company had wanted to turn the warehouse into a venue where 100 traders could display and sell their wares.

Mr Hewitt said attention would now turn to other sites in and around Colchester.

He said: “We’ve got the place in Halstead, so that covers the rest of the north of Essex. Really, we want it to be in or around Colchester if we can.

“There are plenty of buildings out there and we’re already visiting them.

“But there’s nothing of the size we want in the Hythe.

“That place would have been ideal and it had a big car park.

“It’s a shame for the Hythe because it would have been nice to get that place regenerated.”

Colchester Sea Cadets, petty officer Tony Adams, based on the TS Colne Lightship moored off King Edward Quay, said it was disappointing the move would now not take place.

But he said he remained optimistic about the ongoing regeneration of the Hythe, pointing out work would start shortly on a block of student flats being built opposite the lightship.

He said: “It’s a great shame that the business can’t utilise the premises.

“Anybody who comes into the Hythe to offer some regeneration is surely very attractive to all of us here.

“However, we look forward to the next person coming in.”