A BID has been launched for Colchester to become a city.

Destination Colchester is drawing up the application as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations next year.

It is pinning its hopes on the town’s Roman heritage and has adopted the slogan “Britain’s First City”.

The Gazette backs the bid, with residents urged to follow suit.

Bill Frame, Colchester Council’s leader a decade ago when the last such competitions were held, said the town’s chances were better now.

He said: “This is a community-led bid, not the council roping in a few people and saying ‘let’s put a bid in’, which is what happened in the past. Now it is the people of Colchester who will, hopefully, say we want it.”

A questionnaire seeks residents’ views on whether the borough should apply.

Destination Colchester chairman Wendy Bailey said the town’s heritage, more recent attractions such as the community stadium, and the fact Colchester was the country’s fastest-growing borough, would give the bid impetus.

She said applying was free and success would not affect council tax or business rate bills, or impact on the identity of places like Wivenhoe and Dedham.

She said the heightened status of Colchester would increase its attractiveness to businesses looking to set up a base outside London.

Mrs Bailey asked: “Are we proud of our town? Do we think it’s a great place to live?

“Have we got so many assets here – places to go and beautiful countryside – and are we an economically vibrant town? If you say yes to that, then why should we not become a city? It’s not going to cost anything, so why not give it a go?”

If the council agrees at a meeting later this month, the borough will be pitted against county town Chelmsford and Southend. Attempts in 2000 and 2002 failed, with Brighton and Wolverhampton selected.

Visit https://secure.colch ester.gov.uk/surveys/City_Status/city_status.htm to take part in the questionnaire.