I invite readers to contrast and compare the following – the Visual Arts Facility and the Roman Circus.

Which one is most likely to put Colchester on the national and international tourist map?

The Vaf will be one of around 300 publicly-funded art galleries in England.

The Roman Circus is the only one known to have existed in this country.

So far, around £25million of taxpayers’ money has been given by various public bodies to fund the Vaf.

How much has been donated to the Roman Circus by those public bodies which have poured millions into the Vaf ?

In the six or more years since the Vaf was agreed, how much has its backers raised from the people of Colchester with donations and fundraising projects?

Indeed, have the Vaf backers organised any fundraising events?

Volunteers who have come together in recent weeks to support the Roman Circus project, and with it the immediate need to acquire the adjoining former Sergeants’ Mess, have raised an impressive £76,000 and have two fundraising events organised for the coming weeks.

I seldom meet people who support the Vaf. In contrast, there is massive public support for the Roman Circus project.

The immediate need for £200,000 to acquire the- Sergeants’ Mess is equivalent to just four months’ subsidy from the public purse which the Vaf will require.

In terms of value for money, the Vaf is a loser and the Roman Circus is a winner.

Donations to buy the Sergeants’ Mess can be sent to the Colchester Archaeological Trust at 12 Lexden Road, Colchester CO3 3NF; with cheques made payable to the trust.

Bob Russell
MP for Colchester
Magdalen Hall
Wimpole Road
Colchester