Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester Fringe

What resurrection of an old C of E church. Great lighting. Engaging maitre d. and a fun place to listen to your fave folkies. Two bars. And the award winning cistern chapel says it all about the amenities!

This is a fantastic venue where the staff go above and beyond to accommodate customers in order to make them feel comfortable. It is an intimate setting and the comedy and music nights are always brilliant. There is a lot of focus on inclusivity for those with disabilities, and seating is well thought out to assist those such as myself, (I'm totally blind and hearing impaired). Acoustics are really good, and much effort is made to keep the room warm in winter.

A hidden gem of Colchester. Beautiful venue with charm and character. The shows and gigs here are always of a very high standard, often better than mainstream events for a smaller fee. The staff is very welcoming, nice choice of drinks and snacks at the bar. It deserves more recognition. Edited on 16th December 2025: I've been to many shows, concerts, NY night but won't be returning. I've got fobbed off from the bar, made me feel unwelcome and regretted getting out of the house. Cheers.

Colchester Arts Centre is based in a former church (the Church of Saint Mary-at-the-Walls, so named because it was close to the old Roman town walls). It opened as an arts centre in 1980, and hosts a range of live events such as concerts, comedy nights and DJ sets. It's a really good venue for gigs: I was there for The Wedding Present. It's intimate and impressive. The front-of-house staff, bar staff and security team are professional and friendly. The venue is easy enough to find, on a side street just next to the Mercury Theatre. For anyone driving, St Mary's multi-storey car park is just across the main road via a footbridge.