The closure of Marks and Spencers in September 2022 was the last straw for many Colchester locals. It has been the most recent closure of many stores within Colchester town centre, leaving many buildings empty and derelict in what is supposed to be a busy and bustling town. However, could issues like these just be a temporary blip for Colchester’s popularity, or can the recently proclaimed city not live up to its new status? 

Without a doubt Colchester has ended 2022 on a low with the Office of National Statistics labelling the town as the most miserable place to live in the UK. Unfortunately, this may be the case; there are more and more people unhappy with the developments to the town centre. Christine Hughes a senior citizen who has lived near Colchester for more than 20 years described Colchester as ‘a place I always try to avoid going to.’ The senior citizen emphasised that she finds Colchester inaccessible. ‘There are less and less variety of shops to go to. The place feels rundown and all the shops I need are not close together.’  Hughes mentioned she preferred to go to Ipswich these days as all the shops she needed were within a walking distance of the town. What Hughes refers to is the recent closure of many shops in the town centre that sell basic, good-quality items such as clothes and food. Stores like Next and Marks and Spencers have recently moved to Stanway Shopping Village, a place notoriously known for the build-up of traffic that surrounds it. This has caused an uproar from locals. Many feel it defeats the point of having a town centre. Alison Barber, who has lived in Colchester since birth said ‘I feel concern for elderly people who relied on shops like M&S to buy their food. Many older people might not be able to drive to Stanway to buy groceries.’ 

However, it is not only adults who feel this way. Natalie Ramasamy, a student at Colchester Sixth Form College has emphasised, ‘There are few shops for people of my age. All the shops are in Tollgate so there is not much of a community anymore.’ Ramasamy, whose parents run a newsagent in Colchester also said she felt smaller shops are suffering too. ‘My parents definitely feel business has been quieter since shops have been relocating.’ It must be said that Colchester has lost a lot of popularity from all these changes. Many residents also feel frequent traffic congestions have heightened these issues as Colchester’s one-way system is famous for clogging up roads when there is a high influx of traffic, making it even more of an effort for those wanting to access the town or even Stanway Shopping Village. 

But Colchester has not lost its appeal entirely, especially for visitors. Julia Glozier, a teacher at the college said her relatives who are not locals find the city pretty. ‘They love its historical links too,’ she added. Colchester was the first city made by the Romans and is home to Colchester Castle. The fortress has been converted into a museum displaying Colchester’s intriguing history. Alison Barber noted upon this too. ‘I’ve felt lucky to grow up in Colchester, its history has always been something of a gem.’ Barber pointed out too how Colchester was attractive. ‘Although the town centre is now lacking’ she said, ‘I have always felt appreciative of the beauty that surrounds it. It does not take a long drive to become immersed in Essex’s beautiful countryside. We are lucky to be so close to that.’  

So, has Colchester become a lost cause or have the city’s more appealing attractions been forgotten over more recent changes. However, it must be said that even if Colchester has not entirely lost its appeal, many voices have made it clear some drastic improvements should be made or within time it might. It seems it is time for Colchester to really try and represent its new status.