Kendal is off the menu after celebrated chef Paul Heathcote was forced to put his plans for a new restaurant on the back burner.

The former Egon Ronay chef of the year and chef-patron of the Michelin-starred Longridge Restaurant, near Preston, had been looking forward to bringing his brand of Mediterranean-style dining to the town after submitting plans for change of use and licensing for the Baby World premises on the corner of Stricklandgate and Sandes Avenue.

The development of the 120-cover restaurant, which would have been called The Olive Press in keeping with similar Heathcote outlets across the North West, would have created 40 jobs according to Mr Heathcote.

However, the chef says he has been left with a "bitter taste" about Kendal after Baby World owner George Wilson, who marketed the premises for sale through Carigiet Cowen, changed his mind about selling, despite an offer well above the asking price.

"I am upset. We have gone to considerable expense with designers, architects, engineers and planning permission," complained Mr Heathcote. "I have spent near on £20,000 on this project and was preparing to spend a further £m on the renovation and the sensitive restoration of the Stricklandgate premises.

"I wanted to bring a quality restaurant to Kendal and help continue the regeneration of the town centre but now it looks extremely unlikely to happen. Mr Wilson obviously has other plans that I have not been party to therefore we will have to look elsewhere to invest."

Mr Heathcote who completed some of his training at Sharrow Bay on the shores of Ullswater - has nothing but praise for the Lake District's second-to-none range of locally-produced food and drink. He has also been very complementary about the region's reputation for chef training, all vital ingredients in the restaurant equation.

However, asked if he would reconsider opening in Kendal in the future, Mr Heathcote commented: "This all leaves a bitter taste. I have other things going on with my business and Kendal could become harder to resurrect."

Speaking on Mr Wilson's behalf, John Milton, the director for Kendal at Carigiet Cowen, told the Gazette that as far as his client was concerned the deal "hadn't gone very far". Also, Mr Heathcote would only buy the property subject to planning permission.

"Somebody else came along who was prepared to buy it unconditionally," said Mr Milton, who declined to reveal the name of the buyer as contracts have not yet been exchanged.

Ironically for Mr Heathcote, his planning application, which was due to be discussed next Thursday, had been recommended for approval subject to conditions.