Forum | I make a similar point every time I visit by Illinoisblue

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I make a similar point every time I visit 09:16 - Dec 5 with 4670 views

And not to state the obvious. Norwich is a really decent city. Hardly any vacant shops, two department stores, a bustling market. Superior in almost every way to the decaying town center of Ipswich.

Assume there wasn’t always such a disparity… what caused it?

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Poll:	What sport is the most corrupt?

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:22 - Dec 5 with 1293 views

Lord_Lucan

I make a similar point every time I visit on 10:23 - Dec 5 by Illinoisblue
Was there most of yesterday, shops rammed, pubs busy. Sense of life. A place you’d want to stay for a few hours.

You should have PM'd me for a beer.

I've been up here most of the week..

	“Hello, I'm your MP. Actually I'm not. I'm your candidate. Gosh.” Boris Johnson canvassing in Henley, 2005.
Poll:	How will you be celebrating Prince Phils life today

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:29 - Dec 5 with 1269 views

mellowblue

I make a similar point every time I visit on 09:22 - Dec 5 by bluefunk
A Norwich based ex colleague used to say that Norwich is isolated, so every service it requires has to be based in and around the city.

It is definitely a regional hub, when you look at all the roads radiating from it in all directions.
So saying, I thought the centre was looking a tad tired when I was there a month ago.

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:32 - Dec 5 with 1241 views

_clive_baker_

I make a similar point every time I visit on 11:00 - Dec 5 by SitfcB
We’re not allowed to talk about why Ipswich town centre has gone downhill. Even Bury St Edmunds is far superior.

BSE is the self appointed jewel in the crown of Suffolk though innit, so its bound to be. I have to say Bury is a really lovely town, its got a concentrated heart which is bookended by the Arc on one side and Cathedral and Abbey Gardens on the other. Lots of good pubs, restaurants and more of a cafe culture by the day. The future of town centres isn't visiting ShoeZone for a pair of slip ons is it? Its experiential retail and hospitality. Bury has seen 'overspill' from Cambridge's ludicrously priced property market too which has brought some affluence (of course brings negative impacts in terms of housing etc) but generally it's just a very nice town. I was quite surprised to hear recently its getting more popular for domestic tourism, people going for a night or 2 which I never really associated it with but that also helps.

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:47 - Dec 5 with 1185 views

hype313

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:04 - Dec 5 by itfcjoe

All the surrounding councils putting everything on the edge of Ipswich can't help - if you come in down the A14 you have good shops at Anglia Retail Park, A12 south has Copdock, A12 North has Martlesham, A14 East has Ransomes Europark.

So you have the choice of out of town shopping, with higher quality shops, free parking etc or heading into town where destination shops like Debenhams have been lost.

The Town Centre is too sprawling now, would be better if cut off at White Horse Hotel, and shaped down to St Nicholas Street more to make it more compact.

But people are too down on Ipswich, because the football team is so good we are used to travelling to places like Norwich, Nottingham, Southampton, etc and treating them as equals when they are just much bigger cities - the L1 tour showed us what similar sized towns are like and we come off pretty well in that regard

On your last point I've had this message from someone on Linkedin from Ipswich.Love

'I’ve taken time to educate myself on the Ipswich scene with an ambition to add value from the career experience I have. I come with neither baggage, nor agenda/conflicts, except a real interest in the wellbeing and future potential of Ipswich, my home town. I’ve spent time with IP Central, IBC Borough, SCC representatives, organisations, academics, businesses, arts, charities, educators, faiths, activists, creatives, and many residents in the community over the last 2 years now to get a deeper understanding of today's Ipswich and a feel for what real people think.

I committed to Ipswich.love CIC as a founding Team Member and Director. We are a team on a mission to reverse some of the negativity in our wonderful town, to put the heart back in Ipswich and to help to 'join the dots’ with some positivity where we see the current communication is disjointed. Check us out at www.ipswich.love

Our first project was to ask people to write a 'love letter' to Ipswich. It would be great if you could consider submitting a letter to us via our website. These letters are now on display in the town centre, outside the New Wolsey Theatre and have received a positive reaction.

Our second project has been to create a free event listing platform for ALL events in and around the whole of Ipswich (not just the town centre and Waterfront) and as platform of choice for residents, local visitors and tourists alike. We also publish personal blogs and articles from residents on any topic of their choosing.

We also have active community collaborations with several organisations across the Town and exhibit at public events.'

Whilst I admire the enthusiasm, I do feel that due to many issues the Town centre can't be rescued, or changed. For me it peaked around the late 90's and he's been on a downward spiral ever since, and your point about out of town shopping rings so true, there's just no real reason to go into Ipswich anymore, in fact the only time I do is to watch us.

Poll:

Should Muric be dropped?

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:48 - Dec 5 with 1180 views

Illinoisblue

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:08 - Dec 5 by lowhouseblue
https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/censusareachanges/E07000202/ doesn't suggest any dramatic changes between the last 2 censuses.

From 200 Romanians in 2011 to 3,800 in 2021 seems significant.

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Poll:	What sport is the most corrupt?

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:52 - Dec 5 with 1153 views

_clive_baker_

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:47 - Dec 5 by hype313

Nothing a few love letters wont fix I'm sure.

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:55 - Dec 5 with 1136 views

Illinoisblue

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:22 - Dec 5 by Lord_Lucan
You should have PM'd me for a beer. I've been up here most of the week..

Next time! My American brain struggled with not having to tip which was quite nice. I also took a dump in John Lewis. Apologies to anyone venturing into that crime scene.

	62 - 78 - 81
Poll:	What sport is the most corrupt?

I make a similar point every time I visit on 17:47 - Dec 5 with 1066 views

Illinoisblue

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:52 - Dec 5 by _clive_baker_
Nothing a few love letters wont fix I'm sure.

Don’t forget the “we also publish personal blogs form people on any subject.”

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Poll:	What sport is the most corrupt?

I make a similar point every time I visit on 17:58 - Dec 5 with 1042 views

sotd78

I make a similar point every time I visit on 09:21 - Dec 5 by Dubtractor
I think there always has been a bit of a disparity to be honest. Norwich is much more remote, so not as easy for people to go elsewhere, plus the student population makes a difference too. Ipswich has been kneecapped by lots of out of town retail parks over the last 20-30 years too.

You actually probably have to go right back to the middle-ages plus. Norwich has or had a plethora of churches and "decent" buildings. A castle. Two Cathedrals - Anglican and Roman. A University. An international airport. It was the richest city in England at the height of the wool trade. That "wealth" survives in the architetcure and infrastructure that makes it what the sign says "a fine City".

It's no use getting bothered by what the North folk have. After all they'll always outcount us 12 to 10

Blue shirts/white shorts - sotd78

I make a similar point every time I visit on 21:31 - Dec 5 with 954 views

NBVJohn

I make a similar point every time I visit on 09:36 - Dec 5 by EJP
And the airport. Don't forget the airport.

There’s a cracking owl sanctuary nearby too.

I make a similar point every time I visit on 23:30 - Dec 5 with 902 views

bluebudgie

A succession of Suffolk County councils look down on Ipswich and consequently don't promote Ipswich. Not enough is made of Ipswich's very historic past.
The fact that 1960s planners ripped a lot of the historic buildings down.
And finally, Henry VIII if he he and Cardinal Wolsey had not fallen out we would have had Cardinal Colledge Ipswich which would have put Ipswich on the map and over the years would have made Ipswich a place that would rival Norwich

I make a similar point every time I visit on 23:37 - Dec 5 with 883 views

Deano69

Ipswich is great for shopping.

I sit in an Ipswich town centre bar or cafe and order everything I need online. Job done.

Poll:

Best Tin of Chocolates

I make a similar point every time I visit on 23:47 - Dec 5 with 869 views

Oldsmoker

I make a similar point every time I visit on 12:02 - Dec 5 by catch74

My grandad grew up in Ipswich in the early part of the last century, he moved away to Brighton before the Second World War. My dad then moved to Suffolk in the 60’s.My grandfather came to visit and was pretty scathing about what had been done to Ipswich. A large number of lovely old buildings gone and the road cutting the town off from the docks. Some pretty poor planning it feels like, in the 60’s.

The same happened here in Bristol.
A vast number of buildings in the city center, docks and industrial areas got trashed by some German guys in the '40's and rather than replace the stone buildings with stone they chose concrete.
It's rather unfair to do surveys, especially of crime, when you have 100 flats in a high-rise block. It looks like a hot-spot when you look at criminals per square metre. Apparently these high-rise blocks were designed by architects who would never want to live there.

	Don't believe a word I say. I'm only kidding. Or am I?
Poll:	What mode is best?

I make a similar point every time I visit on 03:04 - Dec 6 with 841 views

Benters

I make a similar point every time I visit on 21:31 - Dec 5 by NBVJohn
There’s a cracking owl sanctuary nearby too.

And a spice museum..

	Gentlybentley
Poll:	Simple poll plane banner over Norwich

I make a similar point every time I visit on 11:07 - Dec 6 with 741 views

solemio

I make a similar point every time I visit on 12:21 - Dec 5 by Benters
Yep I’m the same I can’t stand it. Although I do have a nice day out in Norwich when I go,and from Benters it’s 90 mins on the train which is nice. I usually last about an hour with Lady B shopping that is,then laden with bags I go and sit in a pub and let her carry on shopping. But Norwich is a fine city.

Norwich is indeed a fine city. They say so themselves so it must be true.

It is actually.

I make a similar point every time I visit on 11:10 - Dec 6 with 735 views

leitrimblue

I make a similar point every time I visit on 03:04 - Dec 6 by Benters
And a spice museum..

The Herbie Hide statue and museum is a great way to spend a day as well

I make a similar point every time I visit on 13:23 - Dec 6 with 698 views

BloomBlue

Ipswich and Suffolk generally is a very affluent area, that gives people the money to travel to different places, ie out of town shopping areas, Lakeside/Bluewater, larger places ie London. Norwich (wider area) is also further away from the bigger shopping areas.

Norfolk has also always been a split county in terms of coast versus inland, especially as the coast is sandy rather than Suffolk's mainly shingle - especially 2nd homes. Which has pushed more people inland giving Norwich more people living nearer. Norfolk BC has also been sensible in retaining a variety of options, ie retaining a large regular market.

The general history like the cathedral being so near to the centre will bring visitors in, not sure all the Turkisk barbers around the Norwich/London road area of Ipswich has the same appeal.

I make a similar point every time I visit on 13:31 - Dec 6 with 694 views

JakeITFC

I make a similar point every time I visit on 16:32 - Dec 5 by _clive_baker_

Great food town too - Lark and Pea Porridge both well worth the excursion for a night stay.

I make a similar point every time I visit on 13:35 - Dec 6 with 680 views

Wickets

I suppose as long as you go infrequently Norwich is good but I find it rather drab if I go very often . Ipswich needs to Improve that is for sure .

I make a similar point every time I visit on 13:37 - Dec 6 with 672 views

MattinLondon

I make a similar point every time I visit on 11:54 - Dec 5 by jontysnut
It's either decades of failed macro-economic policy or some Romanians - I can't quite decide.

So with your answer, are we now allowed to talk about Ipswich town centre had gone downhill? I’m confused.

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