The Container Park structure on Fargate will be taken down from Monday, January 30. It means the remaining businesses have less than three weeks left to trade. Senior officials made the decision yesterday and told tenants.

It brings to a close months of turmoil, delays and overspending on the site, which was supposed to generate interest and boost footfall in the city centre. A decision on whether to move the eight containers to another site, or put them into storage, will be made by the Strategy and Resources Committee on January 24, six days before dismantling starts.

Removal will take up to six weeks, but the site must be clear from March to make way for a revamp of Fargate.

It is believed five businesses in the development remain after plant shop Bramley Park closed. They are a gift shop, three food outlets and a beer shop.

Container Park was supposed to open in July offering street food, bars and shops. It partially opened in October and by the time it is removed total spend on the scheme will be about £600,000 – double the original £300,000 estimate.

Problems included missing power cables, which meant a diesel generator was required, costing up to £20,000-a-month. An upstairs bar was abandoned over red tape and costs. Some £70,000 was spent on ‘staging and levelling,’ an insider said.

Moving the location 6ft cost a further £70,000 after Yorkshire Water - which had not been consulted - warned the structure could have damaged one of the city’s biggest sewers.

The Container Park, Sheffield: Closure date revealed as troubled and over-budget shipping container complex to be dismantled