Seven letter-writers have given their views on Colchester Council's decision to rebrand the town.

Oh dear, here we go again.

Our barmy out-of-touch council coming up with harebrained schemes for the hell of it.

The latest is changing our signs from Britain’s oldest recorded town, which is a fact, to Britain’s First City, which it’s not a fact

The reasons stated just don’t hold sway at all. And the fact is they decided to push ahead without consulting the good people of this “town” for the simple reason it would have been slung out as ridiculous and a lie.

I hope people kick up a stink and it is reverted back and save the probable astronomical cost of changing all the signs for no reason.

Leave our town alone.

C Swatton

Rectory Road, Rowhedge

Congratulations all round for slogan

Congratulations to Colchester Council for agreeing to promote Colchester as Britain’s First City. This is historically accurate.

Congratulations to last year’s mayor, Councillor Gerard Oxford, for his mayoral legacy of new signs where roads enter at the historic borough boundary stating that Colchester is Britain’s First City.

It is a pity the installations have been delayed.

Congratulations to Destination Colchester, a local group of those involved in tourism, who have been using the First City slogan for several years.

Anyone with knowledge of Colchester’s history knows it was Britain’s First City, established in AD49, and has never been rescinded.

It was also the First Capital of Roman Britain until the Boudican uprising when Colchester was destroyed and afterwards London became the capital.

The slogan Britain’s Oldest Recorded Town is not accurate.

Nationally and internationally, places that have the designation “city” are generally regarded as being of greater significance.

In the case of Colchester, the need to restore Colchester’s historic status of being Britain’s First City has added importance because seven years ago the title of city was given to our Essex rival, Chelmsford.

Everyone who has an interest in promoting a successful Colchester – economically as well as civic pride – should be supporting the borough council’s decision to describe Colchester as Britain’s First City, which will reinstate Colchester’s position as the premier urban community in Essex and emphasis Colchester’s importance around the UK and overseas.

Sir Bob Russell

Catchpool Road, Colchester

I’m 100% with Tim Young...for once!

BRITAIN’S First City? I have to say I think that’s brilliant. I pondered on the inclusion of Roman as well but I think it should be left as it is.

The Roman credentials will be instantly available for people looking online or advertising so just keep it snappy short and to the point.

I have criticised Tim Young in the past but I have to say on this one I’m with him 100 per cent.

John Birch

Colchester Road, West Bergholt

Ambiguous and dishonest idea

Colchester is part of the Chelmsford diocese which already has a cathedral and it is not possible to have two.

So attempts made by the council over the past years to have Colchester made a city have failed.

I see this decision to rename Colchester as Britain’s First City as a complete ambiguous and dishonest way of achieving its aim via the back door.

This is complete political shenanigans and absolutely unworthy of our already heavily criticised representatives.

Tony Ashby

Colchester

Strapline ignores Roman heritage

Colchester Council have released details of their new marketing strapline for Colchester - “Britain’s First City”. The Liberal Democrat / Labour led coalition council announced their decision at the last Council Cabinet meeting held at the town hall earlier last week.

I believe the newly announced strapline to be misleading and completely ignores our Roman heritage; our town’s unique selling point. This strapline is simply a wrong fit for our historic town.

The decision to change it must be given back to the people of Colchester to vote on an alternative.

Colchester is and will always be known as “Britain’s Oldest Recorded Town” and I feel proud to say this when talking about my hometown to others, especially when travelling.

Jeremy Hagon

Colchester

Wider campaign to shout about town

What excellent news Colchester has decided to adopt Destination Colchester’s descriptive strapline Britain’s First City.

To be clear, we are certainly not trying to claim Colchester has official city status now, it stopped being one in about 1542.

But it undoubtedly deserves the title. There is all kinds of historical evidence to back that up.

Under the Romans it was the first place in Britain where there was anything like it with its straight streets, forum and permanent buildings. They certainly described it as a “Civitas”.

It was the provincial capital of Britannia, a hugely important place, the place that other places like Anglesea were measured from.

Here in Colchester was the place where the Emperor Claudius received 11 kings to swear allegiance including the King of Orkney, it is said.

It was the capital of Britain under Cunobelin (better known as Old King Coel) too, but to be fair it wasn’t exactly what we might describe as a city nowadays.

And under the Normans for a short while too until they moved it to London for the sake of its bigger river.

It is worth pointing out Colchester measured by population is still the largest settlement in Essex.

This title is just part of what we are imagining to be very much wider campaign to tell everybody about what an astonishing place Colchester is, steeped in not just Roman but Norman, Saxon, and Victorian history.

For example, we have the largest most intact hugely imposing Victorian water tower in Britain, dominating the countryside in the same way our Norman Castle, the largest castle keep in Britain once did.

We have a nearly-intact Roman wall, two Roman theatres, absolutely unique in Britain, and most important the only Roman chariot track that has been found.

You cannot dig anywhere without finding something wonderful, if only the layer of ash that Boudica left when she came to visit.

But Colchester is so much more. Three theatres, two major and six minor galleries, four orchestras, a festival a week in the park and the town and a band in every pub. That just scratches the surface of what we have now.

Dorian Kelly

Gladstone Road, Colchester

Don’t rebrand town, clean up its streets

HOW typically arrogant of Tim Young to want to rebrand Colchester as Britain’s First City.

He obviously never gets out much perhaps he’s only got a bike.

If he thinks we live in the best place in the country I feel sorry for him as he has probably never been to beautiful places like Harrogate, Ludlow and Chester to name but a few.

Instead of trying to rebrand Colchester with a new name you should be rebranding it by cleaning and smartening the place up.

In the 17 years I have lived here the deterioration in Colchester has been unbelievable.

Jan Sheehan

Mersea Island