Jumbo Tower Tours put on hold with reasons confirmed

The Jumbo Tower Tours for the public were due to get underway in April but bookings have now been paused. 

The peregrine falcons who first nested in Jumbo in 2017, and have enjoyed returning to their UK summerhouse every year since.

But the falcons need to find a new home ahead of Jumbo’s multi-million pound restoration. 

Earlier this year alcoves in Jumbo were sealed off to prevent the falcons from settling again when nesting season starts at the end of this month.

Home – peregrine falcons have nested inside Jumbo every year since 2017 (Image: Camera Club)

But despite this measures the falcons have been spotted near the water tower. 

A message on their website below the booking information for the tours said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances our planned sale of tickets to spring public tours has been paused.”

The guided tours were an opportunity for people to enter the water tower before planned works begin to renovate, with North Essex Heritage hoping it will be open in autumn 2027.

There were also plans for a private tour and further activity this week which has been cancelled.

Chair of North Essex Heritage, Simon Hall, said: “North Essex Heritage has received reports that members of the public have noticed activity involving peregrine falcons at Jumbo. 

“The peregrines have been seen at the tower and indeed in other parts of Colchester, but our review would suggest that nothing is happening as yet which would inhibit the use of the tower.

Blocked – access to Jumbo for the falcons has been blocked off, but other sites have been made available across the city so they can return to Colchester safely (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

“We have however instructed our expert ecologists to urgently conduct further investigations and to advise us.

“Pending this advice and as a precaution, we cancelled a private tour and activity planned for this week and have suspended our plans for public tours which were due to commence on April 5.”

Jumbo has been a place the peregrine falcons have been fond of since nesting there in 2017.

North Essex Heritage has consulted with experts about how best to attract the peregrine falcons to different sites across Colchester ahead of its restoration.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund recently awarded the North Essex Heritage group £8million for planned work to save the Jumbo water tower, in Balkerne Gate, back in January.

They subsequently received planning permission to undertake the plans in February.

It is hoped work could be completed by autumn 2027.