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!

– Mark L A Moore

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.

– Ricky Blair

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.

– Mark Richards