COLCHESTER needs more office units designed for small businesses looking to expand, according to small businesses.

The call comes as new serviced offices, specifically for small and growing businesses, were launched in Hawkins Road, Hythe, Colchester.

The Colchester Centre, built by Weston Group, is a block of 87 units, fully serviced, where businesses pay one rate inclusive of overheads such as business rates.

But Dan Woodruff, an independent financial advisor from Mile End, Colchester, said Colchester needs more to accommodate the growing number of businesses in the town.

He was looking for premises for more than six months before he found The Colchester Centre.

"There is a lot of focus on helping businesses start up. I went to the Colchester Business Enterprise Agency (Colbea) when I first started and got help with a business plan and my first office unit.

"But Colchester doesn't seem to have the facilities to help people moving onto the next stage, like me, who are looking for alternative premises where they can expand," he explained.

David Oliver and Sue Sharples, who run Nettle Web Design, were looking for 18 months before they heard about The Colchester Centre through Mr Woodruff.

They are currently based in St John's Street but will move to the centre at the Hythe in early February.

Ms Sharples said: "We have such problems with traffic and parking so we wanted an office just outside the town, but not in the countryside.

"This new office presents a much more professional front if we have clients coming in, and it's easier for them to park. It's serviced so we can order refreshments, hire meeting rooms and it's possible to take more people on if we need to. It's flexible."

Weston Group, known for its housebuilding, said there was a market for serviced offices for expanding businesses in Colchester.

It already has a similar business centre at Stansted, The Stansted Centre, which is 77 per cent full. The Colchester Centre currently has six tenants.

Bob Baggalley, chief executive of Colbea, said there was "no doubt" there isn't enough office space for small growing businesses in Colchester.

"At Colbea we have 34 incubation units but when those businesses are established they have to move on - but there's nowhere for them to go. We have done a demands survey which clearly identified a shortage. We only have one third of the space we need for start up and growing businesses in this area."

"Colchester is an old town, but we don't look back" - Colchester Mayor Ray Gamble

THE Colchester Centre in Hawkins Road, was launched by the town's Mayor, Ray Gamble, during a champagne reception.

On unveiling a plaque, Mr Gamble said: "Colchester is an old town but we don't look back. The Hythe is an important regeneration area and it's great to see a new office complex going up, when so many older office buildings have been converted into flats."

The Colchester Centre manager, Hayley Pillings, said: "The Hythe has a railway station and is close to the A12 and we just found there was a growing need for this in Colchester.

"We are surprised by the number and variety of companies that have come to us already," she added.

The Colchester Centre, at 25,000 sq ft, features 87 different-sized office units and facilities including conference rooms, a cafe, gym and a central reception.

It is part of a wider development, by Weston Group, of residential units being built across the road on Hawkins Road.