An important past, a confident present, a future of significant potential 

Colchester’s history may have shaped its streets and its skyline, but we haven’t let ourselves be shackled by it – it gives us belief in our past and confidence in our future.  

From Britain’s first city and throughout 2000 years of trade, innovation and creativity, our heritage provides a firm foundation for a future with city status once more. It’s the confidence of people moving their families here; living and working in East Anglia’s leading cultural and creative centre.  Confidence plays out in the economy with some £200m being invested in recent years in new hotels, new public spaces, regenerated theatres and museums, new business start-up space and significant expansion at the University of Essex.

We have secured the confidence of organisations and businesses investing in our place, and the pride of our rapidly growing, diverse people and communities, connecting and working in partnership. 

Colchester is right to be ambitious and we have the Gigabit and 5G digital connectivity in place to take us to the next level for business and skills. Businesses and residents feel ready to reimagine themselves, ready to realise our shared future potential, building on a historic past. 

As one of Britain’s newest cities Colchester is proud to be seen as a community in which we relish the things we have in common and celebrate our differences and we are ready to realise our collective potential.  

Photo: Firstsite (Colchester City Council and Rodger Tamblyn)