Central Ipswich is home to a plethora of restaurants, coffee houses and boutique cafés, as well as traditional pubs and fashionable wine bars. There’s a multi-screen cinema in Buttermarket and another at Cardinal Park, around half a mile from the town centre.
The New Wolsey Theatre presents a full programme of events throughout the year, including live music, dance, comedy, drama and children’s entertainment, while the Regent Theatre on St Helen’s Street and the Corn Exchange on King Street are both popular live music and comedy venues.
Ipswich was once a major port and today its redeveloped marinas are a hub of activity for residents and visitors. The Waterfront is home to a range of fashionable eateries offering views over the River Orwell, as well as to the University of Suffolk and regional dance organisation Dance East.
For sports fans, Gainsborough Sports Centre, is less than 10 minutes’ drive from the development and Northgate Sports Centre is 15 minutes’ drive away, each offering a range of facilities including fitness classes, a gym, sports courts and at Northgate, an athletics track. Swimming pools are located on Fore Street and on Crown Street (leisure and competition pools), and there’s an artificial ski slope at Suffolk Leisure Park, just 10 minutes’ walk from Bourne View.