Retail Vision strategy for Colchester progresses

Our Colchester Business Improvement District (BID) has launched a retail vision strategy to help support retail businesses in the city centre. 

The strategy, released earlier this year, explores the key challenges faced within the Colchester city centre retail environment and a series of short, medium and long term recommendations.

Following its launch, the city’s retail strategy will now be adopted into the Colchester Local Plan and Masterplan. 

The Colchester Local Plan helps guide future growth and development in the city, drawn up by the Local Planning Authority. The Masterplan is focused on creating a city centre for the future, building on existing strengths and transformations in the city centre.

Our Colchester BID is currently in its second term, following a successful renewal of the BID in July 2023. The BID is focused on delivering a series of improvements to support its 450 city centre businesses over the next five years. 

Commenting on the retail vision, Our Colchester BID Chief Executive, Sam Good said “We are delighted by the response to the Retail Vision Strategy. It is a vital piece of research, undertaken at a time where retail faces real challenges at a national level. At a local level, we have worked hard to address these and seek potential solutions. We look forward to working closely with Colchester City Council as they embed this strategy into their wider city centre improvements”.

You can read more about the Retail Strategy here.