A Question For All Those Living Behind Enemy Lines - Ipswich?

[Shaun Tilly Lace 0]

What''s Ipswich like as a place to live in, in all honesty? Is it bad as we City supporters living in the Fine City and county of Norfolk like to believe? What is the pub scene like - are there some decent traditional boozers? Does the town have a groovy, swinging nightlife? Finally, are your Suffolk mates unbearably smug and annoyingly persistent with their ribbing when Ipswich win and Norwich lose? I expect most of the answers to these questions to be pretty negative, but be as honest and truthful as possible please.

[singing canary 0]

last time i went which was a few years ago , it was rubbish.. full of one way streets.

the buttermarket isnt a patch on the mall ..!!!

i try to avoid the place if i can .

[Chelmsford Canary 0]

Went to School there for five years - personally I think its a dump. I worked with a chap who lived there and he even agreed!!

Although over the last few years they have developed the water front, and it is really nice there!

There are also some really nice bars/pubs!

The probably is that everywhere has its posh/scummy areas, justlook at London Eastend vs Westend, and Manchester moss side!

[Ooh Ahh Lee Power 2]

I am living in Ipswich at the moment.  Moved here in the summer.  Despite feeling like a complete traitor for doing so, I am actually liking it here.  It has some really nice restaurants, some good bars/clubs, and all the shops you need.  The only thing that lets the town down is the great big pile of crap located directly in the middle of the town.  Think its located on portman road???

Although I have said I like it here, please bear in mind I spent most of my childhood, and a degree of adult life living in Thetford!!

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="Phil E Stein"]What''s Ipswich like as a place to live in, in all honesty? Is it bad as we City supporters living in the Fine City and county of Norfolk like to believe? What is the pub scene like - are there some decent traditional boozers? Does the town have a groovy, swinging nightlife? Finally, are your Suffolk mates unbearably smug and annoyingly persistent with their ribbing when Ipswich win and Norwich lose? I expect most of the answers to these questions to be pretty negative, but be as honest and truthful as possible please.[/quote]

I thought Ipswich was listed in a book about UK dumps about a year or so ago. Leiston may have been listed too.

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

You have my sympathy for living behind enemy lines. That must be a tough experience.

[pete_norw 0]

[quote user="Canary Nut"]

[quote user="Phil E Stein"]What''s Ipswich like as a place to live in, in all honesty? Is it bad as we City supporters living in the Fine City and county of Norfolk like to believe? What is the pub scene like - are there some decent traditional boozers? Does the town have a groovy, swinging nightlife? Finally, are your Suffolk mates unbearably smug and annoyingly persistent with their ribbing when Ipswich win and Norwich lose? I expect most of the answers to these questions to be pretty negative, but be as honest and truthful as possible please.[/quote]

I thought Ipswich was listed in a book about UK dumps about a year or so ago. Leiston may have been listed too.

[/quote]

I went there once but it was closed

[Rum Ol Boy 0]

theres some good shops and places to eat in Ipswich but its not much to look at

["6 ft 2, eyes are blue Duncan Forbes is after you" 0]

There are two really good trad real ale houses - The Fat Cat (Much like our version) and the Dove - Both selling loads of quality Norfolk beers - which is nice!

[methcanary 0]

  If you want to go to a pub in Ipswich then go to Isaacs on Wherry Quay. Its run by Robin and Tracey who are Norfolk born and are both huge City supporters.

[Bigmarkcanary 0]

[quote user="pete_norw"][quote user="Canary Nut"]

[quote user="Phil E Stein"]What''s Ipswich like as a place to live in, in all honesty? Is it bad as we City supporters living in the Fine City and county of Norfolk like to believe? What is the pub scene like - are there some decent traditional boozers? Does the town have a groovy, swinging nightlife? Finally, are your Suffolk mates unbearably smug and annoyingly persistent with their ribbing when Ipswich win and Norwich lose? I expect most of the answers to these questions to be pretty negative, but be as honest and truthful as possible please.[/quote]

I thought Ipswich was listed in a book about UK dumps about a year or so ago. Leiston may have been listed too.

[/quote]

I went there once but it was closed

[/quote]

You''re confusing Ips*!t with the area you and I both live in! [;)]

[pete_norw 0]

[quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="pete_norw"][quote user="Canary Nut"]

[quote user="Phil E Stein"]What''s Ipswich like as a place to live in, in all honesty? Is it bad as we City supporters living in the Fine City and county of Norfolk like to believe? What is the pub scene like - are there some decent traditional boozers? Does the town have a groovy, swinging nightlife? Finally, are your Suffolk mates unbearably smug and annoyingly persistent with their ribbing when Ipswich win and Norwich lose? I expect most of the answers to these questions to be pretty negative, but be as honest and truthful as possible please.[/quote]

I thought Ipswich was listed in a book about UK dumps about a year or so ago. Leiston may have been listed too.

[/quote]

I went there once but it was closed

[/quote]

You''re confusing Ips*!t with the area you and I both live in! [;)]

[/quote]

No mate, Beccles is a lovely place, Pity about the Martin Family though lol

[Binky 0]

Best pub IMO is The Greyhound on Henley Rd - good place and central, great food at reasonable prices. Popular with Town supporters on home matches though - but don''t let that put you off. It''s a bit like the Norwich Fatcat but with food (and not the same choice of beers!). The Ipswich Fatcat is also good (run by the a fellow family member as the Norwich one) a bit out of town and parking is not easy.It''s a long way from Norwich in every sense. I''d sum Ipswich up as somewhere between King''s Lynn and Bury St Edmunds - and by that I don''t necessarily mean Thetford!

[Bigmarkcanary 0]

[quote user="pete_norw"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="pete_norw"][quote user="Canary Nut"]

[quote user="Phil E Stein"]What''s Ipswich like as a place to live in, in all honesty? Is it bad as we City supporters living in the Fine City and county of Norfolk like to believe? What is the pub scene like - are there some decent traditional boozers? Does the town have a groovy, swinging nightlife? Finally, are your Suffolk mates unbearably smug and annoyingly persistent with their ribbing when Ipswich win and Norwich lose? I expect most of the answers to these questions to be pretty negative, but be as honest and truthful as possible please.[/quote]

I thought Ipswich was listed in a book about UK dumps about a year or so ago. Leiston may have been listed too.

[/quote]

I went there once but it was closed

[/quote]

You''re confusing Ips*!t with the area you and I both live in! [;)]

[/quote]

No mate, Beccles is a lovely place, Pity about the Martin Family though lol

[/quote]

Oh it is (particularly Worlingham), I''m not disputing that for a second - it just seems to close during the week sometimes!

As for the Martin family, well...[:#]

[Hooleyfan 0]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[Bigmarkcanary 0]

[quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

Actually mate, I suspect that most of us do realise that so kindly don''t be so patronising. The OP was only asking what it was like to be a City fan living in Ips*!t. Personally, I wouldn''t know as living in Suffolk is quite enough.

[Bigmarkcanary 0]

Make that ''just living in Suffolk''. Damn this lack of edit option!

[Hooleyfan 0]

[quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

Actually mate, I suspect that most of us do realise that so kindly don''t be so patronising. The OP was only asking what it was like to be a City fan living in Ips*!t. Personally, I wouldn''t know as living in Suffolk is quite enough.

[/quote]

Ouch! a raw nerve eh? ...best keep the mittens and the wellies on then.

[Bigmarkcanary 0]

[quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

Actually mate, I suspect that most of us do realise that so kindly don''t be so patronising. The OP was only asking what it was like to be a City fan living in Ips*!t. Personally, I wouldn''t know as living in Suffolk is quite enough.

[/quote]

Ouch! a raw nerve eh? ...best keep the mittens and the wellies on then.

[/quote]

You can have the mittens back thanks all the same, they''re the wrong size for me. Wellies are pretty useful though, so I''ll keep those thanks. [:|]

[Hooleyfan 0]

[quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

Actually mate, I suspect that most of us do realise that so kindly don''t be so patronising. The OP was only asking what it was like to be a City fan living in Ips*!t. Personally, I wouldn''t know as living in Suffolk is quite enough.

[/quote]

Ouch! a raw nerve eh? ...best keep the mittens and the wellies on then.

[/quote]

You can have the mittens back thanks all the same, they''re the wrong size for me. Wellies are pretty useful though, so I''ll keep those thanks. [:|]

[/quote]

My pleasure! ...I can always lengthen the string so you can step up onto the X2 bus on Saturdays

[Bigmarkcanary 0]

[quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

Actually mate, I suspect that most of us do realise that so kindly don''t be so patronising. The OP was only asking what it was like to be a City fan living in Ips*!t. Personally, I wouldn''t know as living in Suffolk is quite enough.

[/quote]

Ouch! a raw nerve eh? ...best keep the mittens and the wellies on then.

[/quote]

You can have the mittens back thanks all the same, they''re the wrong size for me. Wellies are pretty useful though, so I''ll keep those thanks. [:|]

[/quote]

My pleasure! ...I can always lengthen the string so you can step up onto the X2 bus on Saturdays

[/quote]

No really, keep them, judging by your obvious obsession with them I think you need them more than I. Plus I can actually drive, as can quite a few in this thread (and on this forum) I imagine.

 

 

[Hooleyfan 0]

[quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

Actually mate, I suspect that most of us do realise that so kindly don''t be so patronising. The OP was only asking what it was like to be a City fan living in Ips*!t. Personally, I wouldn''t know as living in Suffolk is quite enough.

[/quote]

Ouch! a raw nerve eh? ...best keep the mittens and the wellies on then.

[/quote]

You can have the mittens back thanks all the same, they''re the wrong size for me. Wellies are pretty useful though, so I''ll keep those thanks. [:|]

[/quote]

My pleasure! ...I can always lengthen the string so you can step up onto the X2 bus on Saturdays

[/quote]

No really, keep them, judging by your obvious obsession with them I think you need them more than I. Plus I can actually drive, as can quite a few in this thread (and on this forum) I imagine.

 

 

[/quote]

 

Medals all round then!   

[gazzathegreat 0]

Phil, it depends on what you are used to I suppose. As a town it''s functional with some nice small shops and some good pubs, but to be honest it lacks the character of Norwich. I can''t comment on the nightlife as haven''t been there for years to a club. The Regent has live music/gigs, and usually bigger names than we get in Norwich.

I have lived in Suffolk for a good part of my life, mostly it has to be said in Beccles and also in a village near Sudbury. Sudbury is a lovely market town and I would recommend it to you, Bury St Edmunds is similar. Parts of rural Suffolk are lovely, but I guess it''s the bright lights you want or a fast link to London.

As for being ribbed by Ipswich fans, yes you probably will be, but that''s part of life. Fun really and I kind of miss it all living in the centre of Norwich where there are very few Ipswich fans.

[Chunky Norwich 0]

[quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

From where did this come?!

[Bigmarkcanary 0]

[quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"][quote user="Bigmarkcanary"][quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]

Actually mate, I suspect that most of us do realise that so kindly don''t be so patronising. The OP was only asking what it was like to be a City fan living in Ips*!t. Personally, I wouldn''t know as living in Suffolk is quite enough.

[/quote]

Ouch! a raw nerve eh? ...best keep the mittens and the wellies on then.

[/quote]

You can have the mittens back thanks all the same, they''re the wrong size for me. Wellies are pretty useful though, so I''ll keep those thanks. [:|]

[/quote]

My pleasure! ...I can always lengthen the string so you can step up onto the X2 bus on Saturdays

[/quote]

No really, keep them, judging by your obvious obsession with them I think you need them more than I. Plus I can actually drive, as can quite a few in this thread (and on this forum) I imagine.

 

 

[/quote]

 

Medals all round then!   

[/quote]

Is that from your own personal photo album?

Seriously, give it a rest.

[Scottlarock 3]

This is an honest answer to an honest question.I''ve now lived here for 7 years and have never hidden the fact I''m a canary. It''s been a great laugh - I''ve found the vast majority of binners are warm hearted, self deprecating and really enjoy the banter and pure hassle I give them. I''ve played many tricks on them and indeed when Ipswich players come into the restaurant I always serve them a yellow and green pepper side salad. I always refer to the club as Ipswich2 (as the first one went bust) - fair enough, Sheepshanks didn''t look to amused but the rest of his entourage wet themselves laughing whenever I see them.  If you compare the two places in terms of standard of living there is no comparison - we have a Fine City.

 

[Felixfan 53]

Have both lived and worked in Ipswich before retiring to Felixstowe which I love and where there is quite a large Canary enclave that travel regularly to Carrow Rd meeting city fans from Ipswich,Manningtree and the Trimley villages. We often get friendly banter at Ipswich station but encounter a lot of closet Canaries working for the railway.

As for Ipswich itself I found it to be a very depressing place - a poor shopping centre,a pathetic market (compared to my home town of Great Yarmouth). It is a cultural desert apart from the occasional good production at the Wolsey. It is also a real ale black spot apart from the few exceptions mentioned notably the Greyhound. The town has no plan and every few years another grey precinct emerges unlinked to anything else and after a while becomes derelict or full of charity shops.

I worked with many Ipswich fans and it was always difficult when we were not doing well but great when we were, especially the "Top of the league at Portman Rd." By and large I found a lot of them had a grudging admiration for the City of Norwich and many shopped there.

An interesting feature (pre Marcus Evans) was the jealousy about Delia as our relatively wealthy celebrity owner living in Suffolk really wrankled with them, so much so that they never bought any of her books and also forbade their wives from doing so. Consequently I always had a large picture of Delia behind my desk.

 

[Barclay_Boy 0]

[quote user="Scottlarock"]This is an honest answer to an honest question.

I''ve now lived here for 7 years and have never hidden the fact I''m a canary. It''s been a great laugh - I''ve found the vast majority of binners are warm hearted, self deprecating and really enjoy the banter and pure hassle I give them. I''ve played many tricks on them and indeed when Ipswich players come into the restaurant I always serve them a yellow and green pepper side salad. I always refer to the club as Ipswich2 (as the first one went bust) - fair enough, Sheepshanks didn''t look to amused but the rest of his entourage wet themselves laughing whenever I see them.

 If you compare the two places in terms of standard of living there is no comparison - we have a Fine City.



 
[/quote]

fantastic post, love the idea of the side salad, and will be using the "Ipswich 2" name for all the Binners at work from now on!

[Scottlarock 3]

[quote user="Barclay_Boy"]

[quote user="Scottlarock"]This is an honest answer to an honest question.I''ve now lived here for 7 years and have never hidden the fact I''m a canary. It''s been a great laugh - I''ve found the vast majority of binners are warm hearted, self deprecating and really enjoy the banter and pure hassle I give them. I''ve played many tricks on them and indeed when Ipswich players come into the restaurant I always serve them a yellow and green pepper side salad. I always refer to the club as Ipswich2 (as the first one went bust) - fair enough, Sheepshanks didn''t look to amused but the rest of his entourage wet themselves laughing whenever I see them.  If you compare the two places in terms of standard of living there is no comparison - we have a Fine City.

 [/quote]

fantastic post, love the idea of the side salad, and will be using the "Ipswich 2" name for all the Binners at work from now on!

[/quote]cool, thanks. The great thing about the ipswich2 gag is that they will always ask you what you mean by it - therefore inviting you to slag them off. Important when in a customer facing job. I think the most memorable was when I called Richard Wright, Robert Green (when Greeno was keeping him out the Hammers first team) - face like thunder :-)

[hogesar 9,618]

[quote user="Hooleyfan"]

I suspect that many of you involved in this thread are quite young, but just to blow your minds apart for a revelationary second, ...you need to know that there is a world beyond Norfolk and Suffolk. As much as we have an inherent dislike for that team down the road, Ipswich is not at the very edge of civilisation and there are much worse places, as there are dumps, even within the fine county of Norfolk. It is only 40 miles away FFS!

Get a bus, train or get your mum to take you out for the day, and find out for your self, strange as it may seem you wont be spotted as a City fan, as long as you keep your hands in your mittens.

 

[/quote]Good morning to you too. Try not to be so patronizing, i highly doubt your above everyone mate.