A BUSINESSMAN who spent years gaining two shops in prime seafront locations has now ditched his ice cream parlour and restaurant plan.

Peter Woolf, 49, who lives in Thorpe Bay, finally took over the lease of the vacant premises beneath Pier Hill, Southend, in June.

But he has now backed out because doctors said running such a business might not be a good idea following an operation on his shoulder. He said: “I’m upset about it.

“It has gone on for six-and-a-half years for me with the site, and now I have lost the will to live with it.”

However, Mr Woolf will not have to pay any rent to the council for three years under the terms of the agreement made in 2005 and he is able to sub-let the shops, which he estimates will result in at least £21,000 a year in rent.

The two units are already on the market with commercial property consultants Dedman Gray.

Mr Woolf said: “It has a very attractive 99-year lease and I am allowed to sub-let.

“The rent on the bottom unit is £15,000 a year and £6,000 for the top unit, but I could change that, as those rents were agreed almost seven years ago.”

Mr Woolf first contacted Southend Council in 2005 about leasing the site, which was completed as part of a £6million revamp of Pier Hill.

Six years of issues with the leases for both shops and continued problems with damp meant the deal dragged on and on.

However, it was finalised in June after the council and Mr Woolf spent thousands of pounds on legal and architects’ fees.

Mr Woolf said he was now considering moving abroad and was “sorry” he could not bring his plans to fruition.

He said the saga has cost him about £50,000 and has been a nightmare from start to finish.

But he said the units are in a prime position and must be open by next April as part of the agreement with the council.

Mr Woolf, a former owner of a Rossi’s ice cream outlet in Thorpe Bay, said: “If they aren’t open I lose one of the rent-free periods.

“Someone has got to do the work but they could get them open by then, no problem.”