CAMPAIGNERS fighting to keep Colchester High Street’s Marks and Spencer open have met with bosses to try to convince them of the store’s value to the city centre.

Maarten and Sarah Westera, who started the campaign when Marks and Spencer announced in April it was going to close the High Street branch, were joined by the Red Lion Books owner Peter Donaldson, Castle ward councillor Mark Goacher, Colchester BID manager Sam Good, and long-term Marks and Spencer customer Karen Maxwell.

Taking place at a meeting room at the George Hotel, which the hoteliers offered free of charge, the five met with Marks and Spencer’s regional commercial manager Tom Nicholson, and the head of property planning Robert Morray.

Mr Westera, 57, explained that although the retailer made no promises during the discussion, he had been told by Mr Nicholson and Mr Morray that they would report back to the board the strength of feeling in the Colchester community about the importance of the High Street store.

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He said: “We made it clear we were only interested in the closure of the High Street store – it was a very frank and honest conversation.

“We were impressed by their transparency and I think they were equally impressed by our level of commitment – they said they hadn’t seen this level of engagement to keep a store open before.

“I have to be careful what I say in terms of the content of the meeting – I don’t want to give false promises or give people false hope.”

He added: “They’ve taken the message on board and they clearly understand our position – they will take it back to the board and we hope they will look at opening a food hall in the town centre, but there’s no commitment to that.

“There is no doubt we will meet again in the future to see what progress has been made [on having a foodhall in the High Street.”

The campaign been part of a significant effort from the community with support from Colchester MP Will Quince and High Steward of Colchester Sir Bob Russell who has also played his part by successfully arranging a meeting with Marks and Spencer chairman, Archie Norman.