The Importance of Supporting Ipswich (and your local town too)

Why I am desperate to keep independent places alive.

Ipswich Town Centre

Why Does It Matter?

Research (https://www.talkingretail.com/news/industry-news/85-of-brits-want-more-independent-shops-on-uk-high-streets-20-01-2026/) indicates an overwhelmingly high percentage of the UK want to see more independent shop fronts on the high street, that they want to be able to physically walk into small business and support them.

We are in an age of urgent online shopping. Shopping online isn't an issue, it's the forced imperative that I have a problem with. When did it stop being ok to wait for a delivery? Why do I need to have everything immediately? If Amazon don't deliver my new trainer socks same day I shall absolutely die. It's mental to me.

There is so much more to town centres than the big chain shops nowadays. M&S have repeatedly said they're struggling, chain coffee shops are starting to lose custom to the smaller cafes, I see fewer people going into Primark these days. There's no guarantee that people are swapping their custom to an independent retailer, but if the desire is there in the public, then it needs nurturing. The right small businesses can make a huge difference and can begin to drive out the Debenhams carcasses, but it takes active interest and investment from the public to keep it all alive.

What I would love to see, particularly in Ipswich, is a monumental take over of small businesses that aren't vape and phone shops. I am convinced they're all fronts for money laundering, that's the only reason I can think of for there being so many.

What Was That About Ipswich?

At a comedy gig at the weekend at the Corn Exchange in Ipswich, the MC asked what was good about Ipswich. After an embarrassingly long pause, someone shouted "Premier League", which is an achievement, but hardly one for the history books. It got me to thinking about why Ipswich is indeed somewhere to be proud of, and where things besides football matters.

Sandi Toksvig, the marvellous woman that she is, came to Ipswich a few years ago with a tour called "Next Slide Please". She educated everyone on the history of the town. My god, the woman was relentless! Her research was impeccable! Up went a photo of an old and beautiful building and she demanded of her audience "who knows about this?" After a pause, someone raised their hand and said "It's Ancient House," and rattled off the extraordinary history of the 14th century building. Toksvig ascertained the speaker was from Scotland, and thoroughly berated the Ipswich audience for not knowing enough about its own town centre.

Besides Toksvig having a very solid point, it all got me to thinking about how much more Ipswich is than just football. Did you know it's one of England's oldest towns? It's likely the birthplace of the Mayflower ship, and June Brown and Ralph Fiennes were both born here.

Despite the utterly horrendous influx of vape and phone shops which number so greatly I'm convinced they're all money launderers, there are some absolute gems that are worth the trip, and are the embodiment of why we should all of us be making more of an effort to seek out the little places that will restore your faith to a time of 90s and 00s nostalgia.

What's Worth Knowing About?

I don't take a penny from any of these fine establishments. I only want to tell you about them.

CLOTHING

Look no further than Thread's For All. Set up by Will and Jenny, they are about to celebrate their second birthday and are the best supporter of local artisans you'll ever find. They are on a mission to bring back individuality, artistic swearing, and community based shopping experiences. I've been a patron of theirs from almost day 1 thanks to their brilliant range of t-shirts, jeans with pockets deep enough for a phone, and random art work.

Since they landed in a colourful and slightly sweary manner in 2024, they have brought back regular markets at The Walk, championed all manner of local businesses, and even hosted a fashion show to mark their first birthday. Will and Jenny have also agreed to a cheeky interview this week so I can talk to them about how they put their events on, which I'll publish on here as well.

FOOD

There are so many!

The Crafty Fox is the Paris we didn't know we needed and just around the corner from Threads in The Walk. Lisa leads a wonderful team who deliver one of the loveliest ambiences in town. It's light, breezy, the kind of place you could while away the hours with excellent coffee and a good book. I will add here that if you don't try the mushrooms in tarragon on toast, you are missing one of the tastiest meals of your life. It's obscene.

The Forge Kitchen is a corker of a restaurant beside Ipswich University and opposite the Archives. My wife and I were lucky enough to hold our wedding reception there 5 years ago. Run by Grant, the staff are exceptional. The cocktails are wildly elaborate and the food damn tasty. You'd be remiss to not visit this place at least once. They also have a food truck, in case you want your burgers mobile.

Kwan Thai, the restaurant my wife stated as being the best Thai food this side of, well, Thailand, is over on St. Nicholas Street. Failure to get the Weeping Tiger dish is sacrilege in my opinion, and you will leave in a coma.

For that cafe feeling, look no further than Bicafe O Portugues on Norwich Road. One of the last places you can ask for 2 coffees and 2 cakes and have it come to less than £10. I am convinced they don't close. If you get there early enough, you'll find their pao de queijo to be offensively delicious and they sell out fast. Otherwise, you need their Natas and bollo de arroz. Thank me later.

To go a tad out of the town limits, if you're a barbecue fan, you need to visit Michael at Love Outdoor Grilling. What this man doesn't know about kamados, Traegers, and general outdoor cookery is simply not worth knowing about. I have spent an eye watering amount of money in his shop. I regret nothing.

ENTERTAINMENT

Ipswich isn't just about music venues. Rocket Music on St. Nicholas Street has been a haunt of any guitar enthusiast for many years with the tardis-like shop filled to the brim with guitars, basses, amps, and gadgetry. My wife spends more time and money with Matthew in this shop than anywhere else in Ipswich and he's responsible for growing her collection. I can't talk. You should see my book collection.

Speaking of books, any self respecting bibliophile must visit Dial Lane Books. The doors opened just days before the pandemic shut everything down and Andrew has managed to keep serving adventures to the Ipswich public since reopening. You won't find a more evangelical promoter of literature. He's cost me a fortune and taken me through history and to magical worlds.

Proudly independent music shop Music World has been serving the Ipswich town community for more than 30 years. Where Rocket Music is the guitar hub, Music World is the more general supplier of instruments, gadgets, and sheet music.

There are hundreds more places to visit, I didn't even get started on the global supermarkets. We would be here all day. I'll do a follow up to this later with more gems to uncover. The cafe game alone is magnificent.

In Other Words...

There is so much more to any town than their football team. There is a pile of culture and history begging to be found and invested in.

The high street cannot remain a barren land of empty shop fronts and vape distribution centres. Bringing your time and money to the weird and wonderful of your town centre can reinvigorate your own love of your home town, and generate a world of creativity while you're at it.

It is all of our responsibility to keep these places alive and kicking. Go ahead, find something to be proud of where you live and send me your best local finds.