Colchester Review of the Year - July to September

JULY

• COUNTY Hall U-turned on its proposals to shut dozens of libraries across Essex after pressure from campaigners.

Following unprecedented opposition to the plans Essex County Council announced all libraries at risk of closure, including the likes of Wivenhoe and West Mersea, would receive a five-year reprieve.

However opponents, lead by non-political campaign group Save Our Libraries Essex (SOLE), warned against cracking open the bubbly just yet.

The idea of “volunteer or community-run” facilities remained on the authority’s radar and the campaign to save the facilities continued right through 2019.

• TEMPERATURES soared as Britain experienced its hottest summer on record.

In Colchester temperatures of 33C were recorded just as the school summer holidays got underway, with weeks of sunshine sweeping across the borough.

The heatwave, which saw north Essex experience the same temperatures as Ibiza or Corfu, meant a bumper start to the summer for the area’s tourist attractions.

However it also caused chaos on the rails as the tracks were damaged in the heat, bin collections had to be cancelled for the safety of council workers and field fires inevitably sprung up.

• COLCHESTER Hospital’s boss hit the headlines for describing the area as “probably the most homophobic, racist, awful, place to live in this country” in an interview.

During a discussion themed on diversity and inclusion organised by the Health Service Journal, Nick Hulme hit out at views held by a minority of patients and urged people to challenge them.

He apologised for any offence caused by his comments but insisted he stood by them.

Standing firm, Mr Hulme insisted the trust had a “zero tolerance” policy to the “tiny minority” who showcased racist or homophobic views.

Also in July Mr Hulme announced a brand-spanking new £30 million elective care centre was set to be built for patients.

The centre will be built at either at Colchester or Ipswich Hospital, taking patients from both north Essex and east Suffolk.

A decision on where it will be built is set to be made in 2020.

A Roman bathhouse was discovered below Jack's hardware store in August

AUGUST

• A ROMAN bathhouse was discovered by accident underneath one of Colchester’s most iconic shops.

Colchester Archaeological Trust discovered the incredible find as part of excavations underneath the 15th century building which used to be home Jack’s bric-a-brac store, in St Nicholas Street.

Ceramic flues were uncovered beneath the premises, and uncovering the location of the town’s bathhouse marked the latest jigsaw piece in the town’s Roman history.

Jack’s is being renovated by popular bar Three Wise Monkey’s and will be the new home of its Other Monkey Brewing once open.

• TRAGEDY struck Clacton as a brother and sister died after getting into trouble in the water just off the shore.

Haider Shamas, 18, died in hospital, two days after his 14-yearold sister Malika, after being pulled from the water close to West Greensward.

The siblings, who are from Luton, were in the water with a 15-year-old relative who is expected to make a full recovery.

Following the tragedy father Shamas Riaz paid tribute to his “beautiful” children but said more needed to be done to warn of the dangers of swimming off the coast, with the incident taking place around a year after the death of Ben Quartermaine.

• BRUTAL killers who beat a man to death in his own home before trying to burn it down were jailed for at least 46 years.

Freya Parker-Magowan and Seth Stollery set upon Paul Gillett at his flat in Station Road, Clacton, using multiple weapons, including a kettle and stool, to inflict at least 73 blows to his body and head.

The pair then started six fires in his flat leading to residents being forced to flee the building.

Judge Charles Gratwicke labelled the pair “callous and ruthless” sentencing them to spend at least 23 years in prison for murder and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Fans invade the pitch as Colchester United beat Spurs in the Carabao Cup

SEPTEMBER

• COLCHESTER United stunned Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur, making them the second Premier League scalp of an incredible Caraboa Cup run.

A famous night at the Jobserve Community Stadium saw supporters invade the pitch when the U’s beat Spurs on penalties after a superb defensive performance saw them to a 0-0 draw within 90 minutes.

The win was hailed as one of the greatest in the club’s 80-plus year history and helped set up a mouth-watering Quarter Final tie at Manchester United’s iconic Old Trafford in December.

More on that later…

• PLANS to revamp and revitalise Colchester town centre were revealed.

An application was submitted for the long-awaited overhaul of the Priory Walk area, with the old Peacocks and Superdrug units set to be turned into apartments and up to six shops.

Work also finally began on developing the town’s old Co-op department store, located on the corner of Long Wyre Street.

The proposals will see the unit redeveloped into five new restaurants, two shops and 24 apartments in what represents a huge financial investment in the town centre.

• A PROUD mum who was told her baby would die a day after he was born has proudly watched him start his first day of school.

Stanway resident Abbey Burns, 25, went into labour at just 27 weeks, three months earlier than expected.

Son Roman was born weighing 2lbs 11oz and he contracted Group B Strep, a type of bacteria which in turn caused him to develop sepsis, cutting his chances of survival down to slim.

But in September Ms Burns dropped little fighter Roman off for his first day at primary school.

After a few days with his new classmates, Roman was loving the school experience and Ms Burns said he “always comes out smiling and happy”.