Your Festive Guide to Colchester 🎄✨
The lights are going up. The Christmas jumpers are coming out. Group chats are already arguing about where the work do should be. Which means one thing: festive nightlife season in Colchester is officially here!
Whether you’re in the mood for cosy pub vibes, late-night dance floors, Christmas cocktails or a full sit-down meal before a big night out, the city centre has you covered. And you can enjoy it knowing that Colchester is nationally recognised as one of the UK’s best and safest nights out, thanks to our Purple Flag accreditation, a national standard that celebrates places with welcoming, well-managed and safe evening economies.
Below, we’ve pulled together places to eat, drink and dance this November, plus how we’re keeping you safe all night long (including where to find help if you ever need it)
Festive drinks, dinner and dance: where to go 🎄🍸💃
Trilogy Nightclub 🎧✨
Trilogy is Colchester’s big late-night club: multi-room, high-capacity, DJs, lasers, smoke cannons, VIP booths - the full “we’re not going home yet” energy. It’s inside a historic 1905 theatre building (the old Grand Palace of Varieties), so you’re literally dancing while they hit you with state-of-the-art lighting and sound. They run themed nights, guest DJs and stay open into the early hours Friday and Saturday, plus private hire in the week. 🕺🌙
The Centurion 🍻🎯
The Centurion sits just off the High Street at the top of North Hill and is very much “meet here first” territory. It’s an all-day pub/bar with craft beers, ciders, cocktails and casual food from breakfast through late night. They put on live sport, retro gaming nights, quizzes, live music, “25p wings” deals and other midweek specials, so there’s usually something on without it feeling intense. Good if you want pints, atmosphere and the feeling that half the room knows each other already. 🥳📺
Three Wise Monkeys 🐒🍺
Four floors on the High Street: smokehouse restaurant, tap house pouring 20+ beers (including local/own brews), a speakeasy-style gin/cocktail bar and a dedicated live music venue upstairs. They’re known for craft beer choice, barbecued/smoked food, bottomless brunches, live gigs and DJ-led nights, so you can literally do dinner → drinks → live music → late hang without ever leaving the building. It’s independent, loud in a good way and a total December staple for group nights out. 🍖🎤
Walkabout 🏉🎉
Australian-themed sports bar / party spot on Head Street. It’s has giant HD screens everywhere, stadium-style seating and big sharer food for live sport - including NFL, rugby, football and more. Later on (especially Fridays and Saturdays) it flips into party mode, with DJs, VIP booth packages and trading through to around 3am on weekends. If your group is half “let’s watch the match” and half “let’s go out-out,” this is the place for you. 📣⚽
After Office Hours ⏰🍸
After Office Hours is exactly what it sounds like: a High Street cocktail bar built for clocking off. Think 2-for-1 cocktails (Thurs–Sat until 10pm), DJs from around 9pm on weekends and an easygoing, slightly more grown-up crowd compared to the student clubs. They serve cocktails, premium spirits, beers and late-night tunes, so it works for “one drink after work” that becomes “we’re still here at midnight.” 🥂🌃
The Purple Dog 🐶🍷
The Purple Dog, on Eld Lane, is a proper Colchester original, it’s been a place to get a drink since the 1600s and is known locally for real ales, good wines and classic pub food. It’s relaxed, dog-friendly, with comfy seating, a little outdoor area and quizzes. Great for warming up before the big night or parking yourselves for a long catch-up. 🍺🔥
CODA 🎸🎷
CODA (63 High Street) is a 200-capacity, multi award-winning independent live music venue and late bar. It’s all about grassroots talent: local bands, touring acts, jazz and blues nights, jam sessions, open mics, plus club-style nights and covers bands. It feels intimate, loud and very Colchester. You go to actually hear music, not just have it in the background. Perfect for people who still want a “night out” vibe but would rather watch a band than stand in a queue for bottle service. 🎶🤘
The Dragonfly Lounge 🐉👑
The Dragonfly Lounge on Long Wyre Street is Colchester’s inclusive cabaret / drag / cocktail lounge. Expect signature cocktails served in teapots, hosted drag and cabaret performances, themed evenings, afternoon tea-style experiences and a “everyone’s welcome” door policy with an outspoken LGBTQIA+ focus. They run late (into 3am on Saturdays) and mix glamour with comfort - it’s part show, part night out, part safe space. 🍹🌈
No Name Bar and Games 🎳🪓
No Name Bar & Games (Long Wyre Street) is competitive socialising. Under one roof you’ve got axe throwing lanes, AR and traditional darts, shuffleboard, English & American pool, beer pong, karaoke rooms, PS5/Gaming rooms, even crazy golf. You can buy an “All Play Pass” for a 2-hour run at basically everything. It’s built for friend groups, office nights out, stag/hen parties, birthdays and it’s open daily, typically 11am–midnight. They’ve even picked up a Travellers’ Choice award and are rated as one of Colchester’s top nightlife spots. 🏆🎉
Cuckoo Dough 🍕🌿
Cuckoo Dough (Short Wyre Street) is pizza, brunch and cocktails with personality. They’re known for double-fermented sourdough bases, playful toppings and a daytime-to-late vibe that includes brunch in the day and wood-fired/sourdough pizza plus drinks in the evening. The interior is styled like an indoor-outdoor escape, nature-inspired décor, relaxed seating and there’s even a roof terrace for when the weather behaves. Basically: line your stomach here, then hit town. 🍽️🍸
Mirra 🍽️🔥
Mirra is modern Turkish/Mediterranean dining with proper “sit down and treat yourselves” energy. They’ve been serving since 2016 and specialise in home-style Turkish grills, mezze, sharers and cocktails. People shout out the generous portions, warm service and chilled-but-smart atmosphere, it’s popular for celebrations, work meals, group catch-ups and late dinners before heading on somewhere livelier. 🍢🍗
Keeping nights out magical and safe ✨🛡️🌙
Here’s the other thing we’re proud of: Colchester doesn’t just go big for Christmas. We go big on safety. Colchester BID (that’s us, working on behalf of city centre businesses) partners year-round with venues, Colchester City Council, Essex Police and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to keep nights out welcoming, well-run and supportive. 🤝👮
Those efforts have been recognised again with Purple Flag status, now in its third year running locally, which marks places with a vibrant, well-managed night-time economy between 5pm and 5am. It’s often described as the “gold standard” (think Blue Flag for beaches, but for nightlife), and it means Colchester is officially seen as one of the safest, best nights out in the UK. We don’t get that by accident. We get it by doing the work, every weekend. 🏅🌃
We regularly meet with bars, pubs, restaurants and clubs across the city centre to check in on night-time safety, refresh training and make sure everyone understands how to respond quickly and discreetly if someone feels uncomfortable, unsafe, unwell or just needs a way out.
Here’s what that actually looks like in real life: 👇✨
“Ask for Angela.” 💬🆘
If you feel unsafe on a date, harassed on a night out, or just want to get out of a situation quietly, you can go to the bar and ask for “Angela.” Staff are trained to step in, move you somewhere safe, call you a taxi, or get further support. This isn’t just a poster on the wall, venues get bespoke “Ask for Angela” training so teams know exactly what to do. 💗🙌
Specialist vulnerability + welfare training. 🎓🛡️
BID-funded training helps frontline staff spot when someone might be in trouble (too intoxicated, separated from friends, feeling pressured, etc.) and step in early. Trained team members wear a lapel pin so you know who to go to. This is about looking after people, not judging them. 👀🤝
Best Bar None accreditation. 📜🏆
Venue management teams across Colchester have completed the nationally recognised Best Bar None scheme, which checks that venues have strong policies around safety, welfare and responsible management and many have since been re-accredited. ✅🍻
Night-time safety patrols. 🚓👮♂️
Colchester City Council’s Community Safety team secured dedicated funding (with support from the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner) so there are trained security officers on patrol in the city centre every Friday and Saturday night from 8pm to 4am. They’re linked to local venues and CCTV, respond fast to issues, de-escalate situations and call police support when needed. 🎥📞⚠️
The SOS Bus. 🚌❤️🩹
You’ll spot the SOS Bus on (and around) the High Street on busy Friday and Saturday nights. It’s a safe place to go if you’re feeling unwell, vulnerable, lost, overwhelmed, or just need somewhere calm. There are trained volunteers and medical staff on board who can help patch you up, get you warm, get you home or get you support. The SOS Bus is part of our partnership approach and runs through peak periods including the “Summer of Safety” and “Winter of Safety” campaigns. 🧣🏠
Anti-spiking measures. 🍹🛡️
We help venues stock anti-spiking drink covers (including bottle toppers and cup covers) and drink test kits. We also go venue to venue topping these up during safety campaigns so they’re there when you need them — no awkward questions asked. 🧪👀
“Disc” system + Pubwatch bans. 🚫📲
Colchester venues share information (securely and responsibly) about people who’ve been violent, abusive or persistently disruptive. Through Pubwatch and the Disc system, someone banned from one venue can be flagged to others, helping stop problems before they start and keeping troublemakers out of the night-time economy. 🚷👥
Business Crime Liaison Officer (BCLO). 👮📋
Our BID funds a dedicated Business Crime Liaison Officer who works directly with pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants to share intelligence, support staff, and coordinate with partners like Essex Police and the SOS Bus. You’ll often see them out with venues, handing out safety packs and checking everyone’s got what they need. 👍🧑✈️
See You Safer. 💜🏡
“See You Safer” is our shared message to enjoy your night and still get home okay. It’s a multi-partner campaign in Colchester focused on practical tips — sticking with friends, keeping an eye on drinks, knowing who to call and where to go if something doesn’t feel right. 📱👭
Need help on a night out?
You’ve got options and they’re easy.
1. Ask for Angela inside a venue
If someone is making you uncomfortable, or a situation feels wrong, go to the bar or a member of staff and quietly ask for “Angela.” You’ll be looked after and moved somewhere safe, no drama.
2. Find the SOS Bus
If you’re cold, unwell, stranded, anxious, lost, or separated from your friends — head to the SOS Bus. The team can offer first aid, emotional support, phone charging, somewhere to sit, and help getting home safely. You’ll usually find it in the city centre on busy Friday and Saturday nights.
3. Speak to night-time patrols / CCTV-linked security
On Friday and Saturday nights, trained security officers patrol the city centre from 8pm–4am. They’re radio-linked to venues and the council CCTV team, so they can step in fast, calm situations down, and get police involved if needed.
4. Call the police in an emergency
If it’s urgent or you’re witnessing a crime, call 999.
One last thing…
Christmas in Colchester is about big reunions, glittery outfits, ridiculous jumpers and singing at the top of your lungs in places you love. It’s also about looking after each other. From Ask for Angela, to anti-spiking kits, to the SOS Bus, to BID-funded safety patrols and partnership working with the council, police and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, the goal is simple: you have a brilliant night and you get home safe.
So book the table, plan the crawl and message the group chat. We’ll see you out there ✨
