Plans to turn the Ozone nightclub on Front Street into an upscale dining establishment were scuppered last year partly due to the onslaught of Hurricane Fabian, can reveal.

The proposal, which was put forward by chef Stephan Juliusburger and musician Andrew Chamberlain last summer, has remained on the drawing board due to a lack of investors.

Mr. Juliusburger declined to discuss the plans in detail, but said there had been some interest in the idea until Hurricane Fabian hit.

?We felt that there was a need for a more upscale location in Hamilton.? he said. ?But after Fabian hit, the thing started to implode because nobody felt that they had the money any more.?

He added: ?The general feeling was that in today?s tourist market it was just too large an investment. It?s still an open project and we?re still out there to see if anyone wants to put up money.?

It is understood that, although the Irish pub Flanagan?s on the floor below has a non-competition clause in its lease at the Emporium Building, an agreement was reached which would have allowed the project to go ahead if the money had been available.

Meanwhile, the Ozone nightclub remains on the market following the decision by co-owners Garry Shepherd, Jason Bracewell, Damian Payne and Simon Carruthers to put it up for sale because the partners had ?other business interests?.

A notice appeared in the newspaper last week advertising a ?nightclub for sale? in an ?excellent Front Street location?.

An Ozone spokesman declined to comment, but a story in last February quoted co-owner Simon (Stubby) Carruthers as saying the club was turning a profit.