Over time our Mission has evolved. We started out as a group of volunteers passionate about our High street and passionate about our M&S store retaining it’s pride and place in our town. We strongly believed and still do, that executives at M&S made a grave error in their national strategy to move M&S stores to out of town locations. This plan is contrary to their own ESG (Environmental and Social Strategy) and causes a severe blow to their own brand and reputation.

In 2022 we started a petition to keep the store open. you can still find this petition here on our website with the overwhelming support we had at the time.

M&S were not to persuaded off course, although during meetings we had with them they agreed to look at the possibility of opening a food hall and collection point in the City Centre, and we still hope that will be possible some time in the future.

However the shocking departure of M&S from Colchester ( now residing in a soulless out of town retail park, with endless parking problems and congestion ) did spur us on to be more proactive about looking after our City Centre. It was clear to all our many volunteers and supporters that many people care deeply about our City Centre and we need to protect it from further decline. So our mission is simply to raise awareness, and to help people to fall back in love with their Towns and City Centres starting in Colchester! to promote and shout about everything that is great about Colchester City Centre and to make sure as many people as possible know about all the great shops, restaurants, cafes, and events that exist there. You can find us on Facebook and support our mission.

We are Save Colchester High Street