THE Christmas pantomime at Southend’s New Empire Theatre has been cancelled after talks to take over the venue broke down.

New World Productions had hoped to take over the lease of the building in Alexandra Street to see the pantomime through after the venue closed because of almost £30,000 in unpaid rent.

The company, which was going to put on the Jack and the Beanstalk panto over the festive period, met with theatre owner Richard Shea on Friday to finalise the takeover. But the 11th-hour rescue deal folded after they could not come to an agreement on the lease of the building.

New World Productions director Guy Pascall said: “Everybody has tried very hard to keep the theatre open.

“Mr Shea wants to keep the building as a theatre, but he wants a long-term lease, lasting several years, and we cannot commit to a long-term lease. If this had happened a month ago, then we might have had time to organise everything that is needed for a long-term lease.”

But Mr Pascall did not rule out entering into further talks to run the theatre in the new year.

Mr Shea, who owns the building, said he was sad talks had broken down and he would have been happy for a two-month lease providing the debt was paid back. He said: “Before the talks broke down, I was telling people there was a new company coming in that we could go forward with.”