We have gone back in our archives to look again at Colchester in the 1980s once again.

In the decade it was a time of big change for the town centre and town as a whole. 

Lion Walk shopping centre underwent a huge expansion in the late 70s and throughout the 80s.

In Head Street shops were demolished to make room for the Culver Square Shopping Centre.

At the time traffic still went through the town centre, the market was uncovered and cinemas were the big entertainment.

Our pictures show the High Street with Woolworths and Marks and Spencer. 

In October 1973 the Woolworths High Street shop was gutted by a fire which caused damage estimated at £3million, just three years after a modernised frontage had been revealed.

A further £4million was then spent on building a completely new one which opened two years later.

Woolworths itself has, in one way or another, had a presence in Colchester since 1914.

Economic troubles succeeded where the fire had failed and despite their best efforts to keep all their staff employed in the months while the new shop was built, it closed again a decade after re-launching in January 1985 with the loss of 70 jobs.

It was finally brought back to Colchester by popular demand in 1998, to Culver Square before the company withdrew from high street completely after going into administration in late 2008 with more than £300million of debt.

There is also a look at life in Colchester's factories and pictures of families enjoying time in the town's green spaces. 

So scroll through some of our favourite images of what it was like to live in Colchester in the eighties.

Gazette: The Maldon Road roundabout pictured in January 1984The Maldon Road roundabout pictured in January 1984

Gazette: Workers at a clothing manufacturers in Port Lane Industrial Estate in 1986Workers at a clothing manufacturers in Port Lane Industrial Estate in 1986

 Gazette: Rangers Service Station pictured in 1980Rangers Service Station pictured in 1980

Gazette: Residents talk at the Recreation Ground in Colchester in 1984Residents talk at the Recreation Ground in Colchester in 1984

Gazette: Staff at Martin in Head Street, Colchester, in April 1984Staff at Martin in Head Street, Colchester, in April 1984

Gazette: The Red Lion Hotel in High Street pictured in 1987The Red Lion Hotel in High Street pictured in 1987

Gazette: Woolwich House and offices in 1981Woolwich House and offices in 1981

Gazette: The Rose and Crown pub in Colchester in 1986The Rose and Crown pub in Colchester in 1986

Gazette: Woolworth pictured in 1984Woolworth pictured in 1984

Gazette: Marks and Spencer pictured in 1987Marks and Spencer pictured in 1987