A NEW project is set to light up the independent streets of Colchester.
In total, 377m of festoon lighting will be installed along Sir Isaac’s Walk, Eld Lane and Short Wyre Street in a bid to brighten up the area and encourage more footfall.
The lighting comes as a result of a survey commissioned by Our Colchester Business Improvement District in 2020 which looked at how to highlight the strength of the town’s indie shops.
It is hoped the bright lights will highlight the streets as shopping destinations and provide additional lighting during darker periods from when it is installed today.
Furthermore, BID says it wants to bring an additional feeling of safety and comfort to the streets, while demonstrating the appeal of the area in a visual way.
BID manager Sam Good added the festoon style has been chosen “to match the individual character of the streets and highlight this area as a great destination within the town centre”.
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Sir Isaac’s Walk to Short Wyre Street has been highlighted as having the potential to acting as a primary walking route from east Colchester to west of the town, and particularly from Crouch Street to key attractions like Firstsite and Curzon.
Sam Good
Mr Good said: “We’re excited to begin installing the festoon lighting along a selection of our great independent streets in the town centre.
“It’ll bring an additional sense of safety along these streets in the darker periods and hopefully help promote safety and encourage visitors to the night-time economy to explore the town further.
“We’re excited for the lighting to create a visual destination within the town centre and believe this will help to promote Colchester as a great town to visit, shop and explore.”
The festoon lighting will be joined later this year with a wayfinding archway in Short Wyre Street at the Queen Street entrance.
The BID manager said the artwork is intended to help celebrate the distinctive identity of the streets and invite visitors to explore further.
He added: “This will also play a key role in the place making of this area within the town centre.”
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