A watching brief was undertaken by Colchester Archaeological Trust in April 2007 to identify and record any surviving archaeological features within an electricity cable trench dug to provide power for the two floodlights being installed in the pavement beside Balkerne Gate. The trench (30m long x 150mm wide x 270-400mm deep) was only dug through topsoil except where it crossed the road, where tarmac and hogging was encountered. Modern brick rubble and a few fragments of post-medieval and Roman pottery were exposed at the eastern end, by the Mercury Theatre. The trench was not of sufficient depth to impact on any archaeological remains. <1>