Colchester High Street fights causing 'real distress'

The city’s High Street is falling foul of “street drinkers” acting anti-socially after 5pm, according to city councillor Lee Scordis.

In a statement read on behalf of Mr Scordis at a meeting of Colchester Council’s cabinet on Wednesday, he said daily incidents outside the Robert Dyas homeware shop are “deeply damaging to Colchester’s reputation”.

The statement said: “No police officers are visible and the police said they have no records of this which suggests we have real operational issues with the police force.”

Concerned - Colchester councillor Lee Scordis (Image: Public)

Mr Scordis claims Colchester has “gone backwards on anti-social behaviour” which has “seen the city centre become more unwelcoming”.

“This is bad for businesses and the council,” he warned.

Council leader David King admitted Colchester does have some "occasional anti-social behaviour problems”, but added the council has been quick to address issues when they arise.

“Intervention at St Mary’s car park being one recent example,” he said.

Action - Colchester Council leader David King (Image: Steve Brading)

“It’s taken us a while but to my knowledge that has now been gripped. That’s what we’ve got to go and do again.”

Council chief executive Pam Donnelly met with Essex’s deputy police, fire, and crime commissioner earlier this week to strengthen the authority’s relationship with the emergency services.

Despite Mr Scordis’s criticism, Tristan Clarke, owner of the Coda bar in High Street, feels anti-social behaviour in Colchester “isn’t that bad really”.

Bar bosses - Ollie Ward and Tristan Clarke are the owners of Coda in Colchester High Street (Image: Newsquest)

He told the Gazette: “The odd bad thing does happen but I’ve lived in bigger cities which are a lot worse.

“I don’t know many other cities with services like the SOS Bus which is incredible and we need to hold on to that as tightly as we can.”

He added: “Late at night, there is a bit of concern that after 5pm it does get a bit weird in town. I can definitely understand people’s viewpoints on that.

“If I was a more vulnerable person I would feel a bit more worried about it, but town isn’t as busy as it used to be and I don’t think it’s getting any worse.”

Colchester resident Vicky Braddon said: “I never feel unsafe in the city centre but it does often feel rowdy at night especially on Fridays and the weekends.”

Ch Insp Colin Cox of Essex Police confirmed the force is “well aware of an ongoing issue with street drinkers and associated disorder in the city centre”.

The district commander for Colchester said: “Our town centre team ensure they do maintain a presence throughout Colchester, but we are working to ramp this presence up and improve on this as we enter the busy summer period.

“There is always more we can do. My message will always be that you must keep telling us about these problems where they do arise.”

Reports of anti-social behaviour in the city have fallen by 65 per cent since 2019, he added.