A business set up as a legacy by a terminally woman will move to a new home to make way for a new development.

The Little Yellow Hedgehog, a ceramics shop and cafe in Victoria Street, Braintree, will leave its home of three years.

Along with a number of other businesses in the Victoria Street centre, Little Yellow Hedgehog will be replaced by new homes as part of the Manor Street development.

The business was set up by Braintree woman Panni Young, whose aim was to provide a ceramic shop where people would always be welcome.

She died in April 2016 but left the shop behind as her legacy.

Director Teresa Willis said: “This is happening because of the new council development, so the hotel and the redevelopment of the bus park.

“I would understand if it was going to be turned back into a community centre, but if it’s going to stand empty it seems such a shame.

“As always you end up losing something that’s part of the community and a lot of people don’t understand it’s been taken out from under us.

“We want to keep it going for Panni, it was her project and she is really part of it.”

The shop is rented out by Braintree Council and was once part of Braintree Community Centre.

Little Yellow Hedgehog has been successful in finding a new home in Swan Side, where Proper Gander was based, and will make the move next month.

Ms Willis added: “We knew it was temporary here, but they kept pushing the date back and now they have given us until the end of June.

“They have not really given anyone an option to help find anywhere else.

“Panni wanted to make it work and we have to do our hardest to do exactly what we wanted.

“We are determined to make it work for her sake.”

Braintree Council is in advanced discussions with a hotel chain which will be built as part of the redevelopment, however it has yet to announce the name of the brand.

A spokesman for Braintree Council said: “Our relationship with Little Yellow Hedgehog has always been very amicable and we’ve worked with them so that they could remain in the premises at a reduced rent while they negotiated and secured a new location.

“They informed us that they believed they had secured a new property and they haven’t been in touch to say otherwise but if their situation has changed we would want to see how we can help.”