Region round Colchester sees desperate times (5)
I believe the answer is:
essex
'region' is the definition.
(I know that Essex is a county)
'sees desperate times' is the wordplay.
'desperate' indicates anagramming the letters (a desperate or pathetic spelling).
'times' becomes 'x' (multiplication sign).
'sees' with letters rearranged gives 'esse'.
'esse'+'x'='ESSEX'
'round colchester' is the link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for essex that I've seen before include "County on Thames estuary" , "Favourite of Elizabeth I" , "Chelmsford area" , "Queen's favourite" , "County, its tasteless moneyed Man" .)