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Colchester bids for city status for Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Neil Clifton/geograph Colchester CastleNeil Clifton/geograph
Colchester Castle was built on the foundations of a Roman temple

Colchester has put in an official bid to become a city, as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Queen is due to confer city status on one or more towns next year to mark her 70-year reign.

If successful, Colchester would become the third city in Essex, joining Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea.

Southend is to become the UK's 52nd city, in honour of MP Sir David Amess who was killed during a meeting with constituents in October.

Chelmsford was awarded city status in 2012, to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Colchester Borough Council placed its bid on Friday, ahead of the 8 December deadline.

Conservative councillor Darius Laws, who has been leading the campaign, said: "We keep our fingers crossed and wait.

"We were of course Britain's first Roman city and I believe we've got all the ingredients to make us Britain's next city."

The bid lists the town's history, inward investment, digital connectivity and cultural activities as among the 10 reasons why it should be made a city.

The University of Essex is one of the local organisations to back the bid.

Vice-Chancellor Anthony Forster said: "Achieving city status will bring Colchester the visibility and recognition that it deserves regionally and globally and will help attract additional investment."

MJ Reilly/Geograph Shopping lanes in ColchesterMJ Reilly/Geograph
Colchester will join Chelmsford and Southend if its bid to become a city is successful

The high steward of Colchester, and former Liberal Democrat MP for the town, Sir Bob Russell said Colchester deserved to be selected.

"Such a declaration would not so much make Colchester a new city, rather it would regulate the fact that almost 2,000 years ago Colchester became Britain's first city and the first capital of Roman Britain," he said.

Steve Mannix of the Mercury Theatre highlighted the strength of the town's "collective talents across the public, private and charitable sectors".

"This town cares and shows it cares - it can easily embrace this new status and become a caring, proud and ambitious city," he said.

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