A NEW chairman has been appointed to lead community group Destination Colchester.

Cabinet maker John Salmon said he hoped to work to raise the town’s profile as an attractive place to visit.

He said he still believed the group was a force to be reckoned with.

Mr Salmon, 63, born and bred in Colchester, has been involved with the organisation since its creation three years ago.

The Castle Road resident said: “This is an association for people who want to make the most of Colchester.

“We want to make it an attractive place to visit. I think the work we have done on Colchester as a tourism location has been a significant piece of work and I hope we can progress that. Certainly, hoteliers have reported to us they are only 50 per cent full, so we need to do more.”

The organisation has been instrumental in reviving Colchester Carnival and a successful £242,000 public appeal to create an interpretation centre for the Roman chariot circus.

Mr Salmon denied the group was running out of steam.

He said: “You can only have so many significant achievements.

“The bid for city status was strong and we are now looking at making the most of Colchester’s cultural strengths.”

Mr Salmon succeeds journalist and writer Bill Hayton, who was chairman for a year.

Mr Hayton stood down due to pressure of work – he is a BBC producer and is writing a book about South China, a sequel to Vietnam: Rising Dragon.

Mr Hayton will continue as vice-chairman. He said: “I think we need to focus on Colchester’s external message – its branding. I don’t think the people responsible for the town’s image really understand how we are seen from the outside.

“A London newspaper article portrayed Colchester as being best known as the home of the Parachute Regiment.

“Colchester’s Roman heritage needs to be promoted more strongly. The current approach is not working.”