Colchester Jumbo water tower restoration plans boost

A disused Victorian water tower has been handed over to a preservation trust as part of a plan to make it a "destination venue".

The 110ft (34.5m) Balkerne Water Tower, known as Jumbo, served Colchester for 100 years before it was sold in 1987.

Since then, various attempts have been made to turn it into a penthouse, a restaurant and a heritage attraction.

North Essex Heritage said its 150-year lease would "kickstart" plans for it to be brought back into use.

It hopes to convert the tower into a restaurant, visitor experience and historical interpretation space.

Chairman Simon Hall said: "This is wonderful news for Colchester and for Jumbo, which we know is a much-loved part of our town.

"A restored Jumbo will help make the cultural west end, with the Mercury Theatre and the Arts Centre, a premium gateway to Colchester and a destination to be proud of."

The trust said it was now in a strong position to win further funding, while £1m from the government's Towns Fund meant it could already get on with urgent repairs and develop its restoration plans.

Earlier this year, a survey funded by Historic England highlighted "significant structural concerns", it added.

According to the Victorian Society, Jumbo was built in 1882 and is the tallest remaining municipal water tower in England.

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