WE'VE been looking through our archives to find some vintage pictures of Queen Street, as the area is set to look very different in coming months.

Plans have been submitted to create a food and drink quarter on the site of St James’ House in Queen Street, which was best known as Keddie's department store.

The building is attached to Roman House which is already undergoing conversion to a three-screen Curzon boutique cinema and restaurants.

The plans form part of an overall vision by Colchester Council to try to regenerate the St Botolph’s area.

St James’ House, which was built in 1968 and has been empty for ten years, is five storeys high and will eventually be replaced by an 87-bed hotel, 230 student homes and a new food and drink quarter.

The development is set to be completed in early 2019.

Work on the three-screen cinema started in January after months of delays caused by checks and repairs to the dilapidated building. It is due to open in September.

Up the road towards the High Street, old pictures show the junction with no bus lane in sight and cars turning right into Queen Street.

Our pictures also show the former bus station and car park, and the Keddie's footbridge which crossed over traffic. 

If you have any old pictures you would like to share, email gazette.letters@nqe.com.