Supporting businesses and retailers

Times are tough for businesses right now but Colchester's diverse business scene is proving to be impressively resilient. The task now is to create the right spaces and places for businesses to survive and thrive, for new enterprises to take off and for Colchester to keep its skilled people working locally.

Read on to find out more about what's happening ...

'Choose Colchester' campaign: Colchester Borough Council is working with local business groups to ensure that people are encouraged to shop and visit Colchester through a campaign that includes offering special parking deals to attract shoppers, encourage late afternoon/evening leisure in the town and also encourage short-break tourism.

The Creative Business Centre will make St. Botolph's a magnet for start-up creative businesses; from workshops to digital media and everything in between .  

More shops, cafés, restaurants and bars. Higher footfall, new attractions and a good vibe will ensure that the new St Botolph's Quarter and Vineyard Gate developments offer major opportunities for Colchester's business community.
Digital access improvements: Colchester Borough Council has a target of enabling all homes, businesses and mobile users to be able to connect to Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband much faster than the national average. Colchester is aiming for an open access network with a download speed of at least 20 Mbps by 2012 and at least 40-50 Mbps by 2013.

Special shopping: Colchester is known for its great mix of shops in historic streets and lanes. Ideas are in their infancy but the Council has commissioned a  Local Distinctiveness Audit for Colchester's 'Walls/Lanes' Project [6Mb]  and hopes to work with business organisations to make more of Colchester's smaller specialist shopping streets.