The new owner of Southend's Kursaal amusement centre has admitted it has found attracting new tenants for the seafront icon "frustratingly slow".

William Woodwood-Fisher, director of London property company Trehaven, which bought the Kursaal from former owner the Rowallan Group last summer, said marketing the planned upmarket sites for restaurants, cafes and shops had been a difficult task.

He added: "In a few words, it has been frustratingly slow, which has surprised me.

"If anyone had said there would have been no interest in any of the units by Christmas I would not have believed them.

"However, we had a meeting with our agents last week and I understand there has been interest in all of the units, but no firm offers.

"It has been depressingly slow, but I hope we are now over the worst and things will look up as the New Year progresses."

Mr Woodwood-Fisher said Trehaven was also meeting London Clubs International which runs the Rendezvous Casino on the second floor of the Kursaal building.

He added: "We will be talking to them about the possible development of the remaining part of the first floor which was never completed."

The Kursaal was left empty for several years after the collapse of the Brent Walker leisure empire until it was bought by Southend Council and then leased to Rowallan who completed the restoration work in 1998.

However, the amusement centre never lived up to its potential and planned conference and dining facilities were not provided in the new part of the development.

Rowallan boss Allan Stack sold the remainder of the lease to the Trehaven group last year in a deal which he said held out the best hopes for the continued future development of the venue.