MY article last week on the evolving history of Colchester High Street, looking back to the businesses which were listed in the 1966 Colchester Directory and those which exist today, featured the southern side from the junction with Head Street as far as Pelham’s Lane.

I continue this week with the remainder of this side but, first, two other matters about High Street from half-a-century or so ago.

In 1966, the one-way traffic system in the town centre had only been in operation for three years. It had commenced at 3am on Monday 1st April 1963. The central lamp columns were still in place in the High Street. The full one-way circuit went from High Street into Queen Street, St Botolph’s Street, Osborne Street, St John’s Street and Head Street.

A coincidence, unrelated to switching to one-way, five days later (on Saturday April 6) this newspaper (then a weekly, published on a Tuesday) and its sister paper the Essex County Standard moved from 24 High Street – the site is today part of Superdrug’s premises – to new offices in Culver Street, which is where I started as a trainee reporter five months’ later in September 1963.

Picking up where I left off last week, on the corner of Pelham’s Lane is Mountain Warehouse, which is where 50 years ago Ratners jewellers and International Stores used to be. McDonald’s (re-built in 1983) was Timothy Whites & Taylors.

Marks & Spencer has doubled its size since 1966, incorporating the site of Sainsbury’s.

The historic Red Lion Hotel looks unchanged, but closer examination reveals that instead of hotel uses there are now small shops either side of the former coach entrance leading to Lion Walk shopping precinct which opened in 1974.

Curry’s premises is now home to Robert Dyas hardware. The huge Woolworth’s (this was the ugly building burnt down in October 1973, re-built with a red brick frontage) is now three units. Space does allow me to mention every shop, but other national names from 1966 who have left High Street are Dewhurst’s (butchers), Freeman Hardy & Willis (shoes) and Home & Colonial (provisions).

Fifty years ago Millett’s was on the corner of St Nicholas’ Passage where today is the newly-arrived Preto restaurant.

The Co-op’s then flagship St Nicholas House store is now, on the ground floor, separate toy and sports shops. Planning permission has been given for the top two floors to be converted into flats and hotel bedrooms with a further floor to be built also for residential use.

The impressive building on the corner of St Nicholas’ Street was one of the shops operated by Kent Blaxill. Today, it is the Three Wise Monkeys bar. The 1966 site of Car Mart Ltd was re-developed in 1984 with three shops.

Markhams Office Equipment Ltd, at No 63, is now Xtremegaming. The former High Street Post Office is now an NHS Clinic. This is next to the Natural History Museum (opened in 1958) in the redundant All Saints’ Church.

In 1966 the shop on the corner of High Street and Queen Street was the Camera Centre.

It had been bought by the council to demolish to widen the road.

In recent years it was the Visitor Centre, but is now empty. The Georgian buildings along this section of High Street appear now to all be residential, but in 1966 one of them (70a) was Pandora Restaurant while No.70 was solicitors’ offices.

The street directory from 50 years ago does not mention The Minories Art Gallery by name although this had opened at No.74 in 1958 (the adjoining No.73 was added to the gallery in 1976).

The gallery is now run by the Colchester Institute’s School of Art.

Next to this was the High Street entrance to the Bus Station (now closed) which opened in 1962.

The last building on this side of High Street was East Hill House special school. There is talk it may become an hotel.

  •  To be continued: next week – walking back on the northern side of High Street.

SIR BOB RUSSELL