Out & About in Ipswich

Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk, which can be found on the East coast of England, and is home to a little over 120,000 people. The town's roots can be traced back to Roman times, during which a fort was erected in the area. After the demise of the Roman Empire in Great Britain, the Angles and Saxons rampaged through the country, with Ipswich emerging as a key trade centre between Britain and Scandinavia. Furthermore, Ipswich was conveniently located between the major cities of London and York, thus was also of importance to trade across the country. Today, Ipswich Museum contains many Anglo-Saxon artefacts, including weaponry and jewellery.

Major landmarks in Ipswich include a campus of Suffolk University, which remarkably only came into existence as a university in 2007, the Willis Building, which is an impressive dark glass creation by renowned architect, Norman Foster. Other notable buildings in the town include the Regent Theatre, New Wolsey Theatre, St. Mary Le Tower and Portman Road, which is the home stadium of Ipswich Town Football Club, whose manager is now none other than Roy Keane, and has a capacity of 30,300.

Modern Ipswich is very much a town on the up, with large scale redevelopments and urban gentrification gathering speed. The town is also gearing up for the 2012 London Olympics and will host the (unrelated) 2012 European Cyclo-Cross Championships.

Shopping

There are plenty of shopping opportunities in Ipswich. The Buttermarket Centre on St. Stephens Lane is the town's largest shopping centre, comprising popular stores such as Boots the Chemist, MK, TJ Hughes, T.K. Maxx and New Look. The centre is also home to the delightful Café Giardino and a number of health and beauty businesses, such as Deesigner Hair Studios. Fashionable stores such as Laura Ashley, Pilot and Million Dollar Babe are popular amongst the town's more trendy consumers. The Buttermarket Centre is also the base for the Shopmobility Scheme for Wheelchair Users, which as the name suggests is all about providing greater accessibility to disabled shoppers.

Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre is situated close to the Buttermarket Centre and is also conveniently located next to the town's central bus station. Additionally, there is a taxi rank outside the centre, which can seem like a life saver after a hard day's shopping! Tower Ramparts houses a diverse range of stores, including Vision Express, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Shoecare, Clinton Cards and Topshop. There are also health and beauty stores in the complex in addition to Vodafone, Topman and Miss Selfridge on the top floor.

Shopping in Ipswich also includes the 'Golden Mile', which incorporates a vast selection of brand name department, electrical, food, footwear, clothing, and sports stores, all located within walking distance of each other! The 'Golden Mile' is the place to shop in Ipswich.

Food and Drink

Ipswich has a rich variety of restaurants, pubs, bars and cafés. The Il Punto is among the most interesting as it is set inside a restored 19th century Belgium ship! The fine wooden and brass interior sets the mood for a delightful experience, during which guests can enjoy a French and Modern European menu that consists of Crayfish, Smoked Salmon, Lobster, T-bone Steak and a host of French cheeses - truly delicious!

There are also plenty of British, Italian, American, Thai, Mexican and Chinese restaurants in Ipswich, including the Baipo, which serves fried noodles and weeping tiger beef amongst other fantastic oriental meals. Penny's Bar & Restaurant is another splendid place to eat and drink, with predominantly British and Spanish dishes served in a friendly and warm environment. The Wednesday night karaoke sessions and live band on Thursdays adds another dimension to this local favourite.

Arts & Entertainment

Ipswich has no shortage of arts and entertainment, either. Indeed, the Corn Exchange is among the very best entertainment venues in the country, with renowned comedians, theatre, dance and live music performances on offer throughout the year.

Equally, the Regent Theatre is another popular entertainment venue in the town and was opened to the paying public in 1929. With a seated capacity of 1,781, Regent Theatre has been host to well known stars such as Jack Dee and Ricky Gervais, so guests can be assured of the occasional laugh. The New Wolsey Theatre seats 400 and resides at the very heart of Ipswich, making it an ideal destination for drama productions, comedic performances and childrens' entertainment.

Hotels and Travel

Accommodation in Ipswich is guaranteed to satisfy most needs, from the splendid four star Hintlesham Hall to the city centre Novotel Hotel. There is also no shortage of bed & breakfasts, hostels and caravan parks in and around Ipswich, which can prove a perfect base for exploring the surrounding Suffolk countryside.

Next to motorway travel, which is a generally pleasant experience in Ipswich, the main mode of transport in the town is through Ipswich Railway Station, which caters to some 2.4 million passengers each year.