In Focus – Colchester

29th November 2018

The focus of this month is Colchester and all it has to offer.

Located to the north of the county, Colchester may seem far from the capital, but with its excellent mainline rail links, the town is just 50 minutes from London Liverpool Street Station and just under 40 miles from the M25 down the A12. Go west, and 30 miles along the A120, you? 'll find Stansted Airport and the M11. The A12 northbound will take you into Suffolk and onto Norfolk, or you can pick up the A14 to connect you to the M1 and the North.

A vibrant and bustling town centre is home to a blend of independent retailers and high street names, with the recently refurbished Lion Walk the main hub of shopping in the town. Investment hasnâ??t stopped at the centre with the expansion of surrounding areas such as Stanway and Mile End. With its continued growth, it is no surprise that Colchester has the highest capital gain returns for property investors in the UK.

Culturally, the town is bursting with history, from the Roman ruins evident throughout to the famous castle at the bottom of the high street. However, there are many modern attractions of the town drawing tourists from further afield such as Firstsite, a thriving art gallery, to Colchester United's Stadium located on the outskirts along with the other first class sporting facilities.

It's a great place for families, too, with a host of things to do and places to see in and out of town. You are less than 20 miles away from classic English seaside resorts such as Frinton whilst just north of Colchester there's the stunning Dedham Vale known as "Constable Country" being the location of choice for arguably the world's greatest landscape artist, John Constable. Not only does the area boast leading state and private schools, some of which lead the national league tables for their academic excellence, but Colchester is also home to the University of Essex, with the campus located in nearby Wivenhoe Park.