A LEADING light of the Colchester arts scene has called for the town's former Odeon building to be turned into a concert hall.

Nigel Hildreth MBE said the town was lacking a suitable venue for large-scale symphony orchestras and even rock acts.

But with the former Odeon cinema set for redevelopment, Mr Hildreth, who is chairman of trustees at Colchester Arts Centre, admitted he was struggling to suggest a suitable alternative.

He said: "We are in a situation where there isn't really an appropriate concert hall.

"Ironically the old Odeon cinema in Crouch Street would have been ideal because it was originally a larger building broken up into smaller areas."

Mr Hildreth added: "Ideally we want something that could suit 800 to 1,000 people and ideally we need it to seat up to 100 performers, so we are looking at quite a large scale, and not just classical."

READ MORE: Colchester old Odeon plans on the rocks as scheme isn't financially viable anymore

Mr Hildreth revealed he wanted former Genesis lead guitarist Steve Hackett to play in the town - but there wasn't anywhere suitable.

"Colchester was not big enough [for venues] and someone like that is not going to go to the likes of a stadium.

"Steve Hackett wanted to come to Colchester but we didn't ask because we knew it wouldn't be appropriate."

Instead the 1970s rocker performed at Ipswich's Regent Theatre last month.

Mr Hildreth, a retired music teacher, listed a string of other town venues which aren't suitable for various reasons, including the Arts Centre which he said was too small.

Charter Hall was "not conducive" to the sorts of performances he visualises, while Moot Hall at Colchester Town Hall has demand on it for other uses.

READ MORE: MBE for Blur music teacher

St Botolph's Church, while also being a large venue for performers, does not have that as its main purpose, Mr Hildreth said.

"We have the capacity of talent within the town to run the venue and run large scale events, what we don't have is a location to do it."

Mr Hildreth first suggested the town needed a concert hall prior to the Firstsite arts venue being born.

He added: "I said as part of Firstsite there ought to be a secondary concert hall that could be a stream of revenue for Firstsite. That never happened."

Plans for a £10 million overhaul of the Odeon, which include building more than 40 flats and renovating two shops, were given the go-ahead late last year.

But work has yet to start and it has continued to attract antisocial behaviour, including drinking and drug-taking.

Colchester Council recently ordered owners Blu-Marble Properties to bring the building “back to a visual acceptable standard”.