Like many Colcestrians, I have many preconceived ideas about the Hythe area of town. Despite ongoing attempts, by the council, to regenerate the area, viewing it from my trips past and through the new developments, I always feel that it looks unfinished; an imperfect juxtaposition of rusty, crusty relics of industrial times gone by and generic 'little boxes on the hillside' appartment blocks. I hadn't been down to the quayside since before the regeneration started.
On Saturday, I popped along to the Town to Port Festival. I had been asked by Tess Gardener of SKOPT (Some Kind of Poetry Thing) and Colchester Poetry, to perform a ten minute poetry set as part of her poetry coffee morning, in the spoken word area. This gave me a reason to make my way back into the place where I grew up as a small child.
As I walked along the Quayside, I felt a mixed bag of emotions. Amid the strange contrast of decaying old fragments of industrial heritage, torn down to make way for the new but not quite consigned to history yet, I observed the interesting scenery of my childhood in the very process of being replaced by that which is so insipidly generic about all new riverside developments. Whilst the new builds and modern walkways around the area look pleasant enough, I can't help but mourn the final death knell of Colchester's industrial past. The old buildings were eyesores, no argument there, but they represented something much more than the crumbling rubble that they were. An example, which is personal to me would be the Coldock building, with its smashed windows, stained concrete and faded flaking paint was the "naughty boys' home", where, according to my mum and dad, who wanted to encourage us to behave, children who were disobedient were sent to have their toes nibbled by rats, while spiders with legs like your index finger would stare menacing at you. I never believed the stories but I remember them fondly. That building is no more. I can't imagine its replacement will inspire such storytelling.
While my nostalgia about this little loved part of town might sound negative, I must say that, despite the tinge of sadness I felt, the enthusiasm and sense of fun behind the festival itself was wonderful. From the live music up by the bridge, along the row of stalls selling truly diverse examples of original work by local artists, to the house boats, with music playing and people just enjoying the sunshine and cultural fare on offer, it was a truly pleasant experience.
The spoken word area showed off the worsmithing skills of a great number of talented local poets, musicians and storytellers.
For my own part, I shared five of my poems - 'Grecian Liar', 'My Past Existence', 'Wilfred Owen', 'Kenneth George Bell' and 'A Soldier's Return'. (Click on the links to see the poems in previous posts) I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Tess Gardener did a great job of creating a relaxed and friendly environment, in which we were all able to share our ideas and scribblings. I didn't get to see everyone perform but every performance I saw was interesting, entertaining and thought provoking. I took my family along and I know they enjoyed it too. I'm looking forward to the next meeting of SKOPT and Colchester Poetry, to listen to some more great poetry.
I love how through organisations such as 15 Queen Street, First Site and Slack Space, the creative people of the Colchester area are finally being brought together and encouraged to collaborate, to add to the rich cultural tapestry of our town.
As for the Hythe, I remain uncertain about the effect the regeneration of the area will have in the longer term. What the festival provided was an opportunity to experience the potential the area has to offer. The extent to which that potential will be fulfilled is in the hands of the Council. Let's hope they manage to create something, which maintains something of the original spirit of the place.
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