Colchester

Jobs in Colchester

One of the UK's fastest growing towns, Colchester is located in Essex, approximately 60 miles from London and 30 miles from Stansted Airport. A popular choice for those who choose to commute to the capital for work, Colchester also offers a variety of opportunities within its local area.

Colchester is often called the oldest town in Britain, and its market is also one of the oldest in the country. It was granted its first royal charter in 1189 and by the end of the 14th century, it had become an important location for the manufacture of woollen cloth.

Further growth of the textile industry occurred in the late 16th century when Flemish weavers immigrated to the area, bringing with them new methods of cloth making.

With the start of the Industrial Revolution, Colchester's economy began to expand and was no longer based on textiles alone. In 1865, Standard Ironworks was started by James Noah Paxman - this would later become Paxman Diesels.

From the beginning of the 20th century, the textile industry began to decline. These days, the town's economy has shifted away from agriculture and industry, and has moved towards the service sector, although a number of manufacturing facilities still exist in the area.

Many of the top employers in modern Colchester are in the public sector, including Colchester Borough Council, the University of Essex and the local NHS trust.

The IT sector also provides a number of jobs and so does the financial industry. Meanwhile retail is one of the fastest growing sectors in the area.