Letter: "Support for student flats boils down to money"

That’s because, just like the owners of the football clubs that wanted to form the European Super League despite fans, some players and managers saying it will ruin the footballing ethos, it all boils down to money.

Everyone is well aware that the hospitality sector has suffered greatly as a result of the Orwellian response to Covid-19, but the thought that building copious student accommodation in the town centre as a solution to the night-time economy is probably somewhat overrated - the university has a theatre, cinema, nightclub etc on its campus.

The new Colchester Cultural Quarter Picture: Alumno

And in all likelihood students who live in town will want to join their fellow students who live on and around the university for nights out there and will possibly doss down at their mates’.

Of course, there will be occasions when those living in town will want the others to join them and this may result in the odd boom in town centre spending and further dossing down, which will be marvellous for anyone who has booked a night at the Travelodge to have groups of excitable students arriving back at their accommodation in the early hours of the morning.

It does just not seem right that having spent tens of millions of pounds to build Firstsite as the initial step to developing a site of culture that a cabal of councillors should betray this vision and allow students flats to be built instead.

Richard Hart

Harwich Road, Colchester

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