A ROLLER rink that closed down after more than three decades in Colchester may move to Ipswich.

Rollerworld Limited could reopen as a charity and the site of the former Ipswich toy store is being considered as a new home, say the owners, Jason and Anne Khan. 

Anne Khan said that they were “looking at all options” and have been already “chatting to the people that own Toys R Us” in London Road in Pinewood area of the town.

Mrs Khan added: “We prefer to stay in Colchester, but we’re just waiting for our options.

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“We're talking to Colchester Borough Council and we've got meetings with them.

“If nothing comes with that, then obviously we'll go further and possibly choose Ipswich or Chelmsford.

“We’re now recovering from a huge loss of our business, and the only way that we're going to be able to afford to start another business is to do it as a charity and with trustees.”

Rollerworld Limited is now in the hands of two Liverpool-based liquidators who are in the process of winding up the organisation after its Moorside skating venue shut. 

Documents show a deficit of about £120,000, of which about £40,000 is owed to main creditor and owner Jason Khan, who has stressed all employees have been paid.

The decision to dissolve the limited company comes after bosses were forced to call time on their historic Rollerworld rink following a lengthy landlord dispute.

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Jason said: “Most people misunderstand if a company goes into liquidation the owners must be terrible people but we were advised this would be the best route.

“We did this to safeguard our business and first and foremost so staff who were owed money would get paid.

“As a director I have put tens of thousands of pounds into the business which is still technically owed to me but I did it to keep the business going and to pay employees.

“I always had faith and in the last year we were more busy than Rollerworld has ever been – we broke records on a weekly basis.”

Despite the company going into liquidation, Jason has said Rollerworld as a concept remains at the forefront of plans being explored by himself and wife Anne.

Jason and Anne, who “nearly died last year”, hope to reopen Rollerworld as a charity, with the former Ipswich Toys ‘R’ Us site on the shortlist of potential venues.

“Rollerworld Limited is gone but intellectual property such as the name is owned by me and we still have all of the business assets,” added Mr Khan.

“It will almost be like starting from scratch but Anne and I want to set up a charity incorporated organisation with a few people of note from Colchester with experience.

“Providing we find finances and a building it is a possibility Rollerworld 2 can happen and if it does we want to make it even better than the last one.

“We want Rollerworld to be the Number 1 skating rink in the world.”

Since closing Rollerworld after 32 years Jason and Anne have reopened their Demon Extreme skate shop in London Road, Stanway.

To find out more visit facebook.com/demonxtreme.