Castle Park is undeniably the beating heart of Colchester’s heritage, with its 2000 years’ worth of history making it a site of national importance.
Upper Castle Park is home to a Norman Castle (with the largest Norman keep of its kind in Europe), an extensive, intact Roman Wall, and extensive parkland spanning 11 hectares.
The green, recreational spaces are used by a broad range of visitors from couples enjoying scenic walks to children burning off energy in the numerous playgrounds.
Lower Castle Park attracts local dog-walkers as well as visitors eager to attend large-scale paid events throughout the year, such as the recent Oktoberfest.
Other notable events have included concerts by national and international singers like Olly Murs, Tom Jones as well as popular food and drink festivals and outdoor cinema and theatre.
Overall, Castle Park attracts over 1 million visitors per year.
With the capacity to host large numbers of visitors in a central location adjacent to the city centre and within easy access to transport, Castle Park has become Colchester’s leading outdoor venue.
As such, it brings a much-needed economic boost to the city, especially after the detrimental effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Those attending events fill local pubs, restaurants and cafes and help to raise the profile of this newly-designated city.
Using our beautiful park for these events is a positive showcase for all that Colchester has to offer” - one Colchester resident finds
Whilst it is incredibly important to rekindle the sense of community and celebration in Colchester, it is also necessary to consider other impacts.
One of the negative consequences has been on the physical condition of the park, which is becoming degraded from overuse and not enough time left between events to allow the waterlogged ground to recover.
Heavy machinery used to install stages has damaged the soil’s ability to absorb water, leaving it often muddy and in need of specialist care.
In addition, in December 2023, the bridge by the weir that connects parts of the north of Colchester to Castle Park closed suddenly due to erosion from heavy rain.
It has remained out of use for nearly a year, causing outrage and inconvenience among local people.
The closure inhibits the park’s and town’s accessibility, creating a 15-minute diversion for pedestrians, dog-walkers, and commuters.
This problem, added to the numerous, lengthy park closures to allow for the set-up and take-down of tents and stages, restrictions on the use of of Lower Castle Park are once again noticeable, as are the disturbances to neighbours from the sheer volume of noise and people.
It is a public park that should be kept open as such all the time for people to walk through, sit in, read, or play a ballgame maybe - not closed off for fee-paying events” - a local resident
It is clear that there are strong advantages and disadvantages to such a public amenity, but have we got the balance right yet?
