The Interview
As the English countryside rolled by I loosened my tie and relaxed into my seat. Train journeys are perfect for contemplation and I began to reflect on the job interview just gone. It went well: the work seemed challenging, the managers friendly, and to top it all off I had been on good form. However, the location of this prospective job was much less positive.
My first impression of Ipswich was that of a small, grubby, industrial town. Also, investigative sources suggested that the locals were the type of people you would find in the The Slaughtered Lamb pub in the movie ‘American Werewolf in London’. Superficially I decided I would hold out until something came up in London. However external forces, seemingly beyond by control, had dictated that Ipswich was to be my new home.
Cornered
I was offered the job and for three reasons reluctantly accepted:
Firstly, in order to work in the UK legally, a company would have to sponsor me a work permit, which they were willing to organise.
Secondly, my rands were disappearing into a void left by a struggling exchange rate.
And finally, my hosts’ over-enthusiasm for me to take the job was a subtle indication that they wanted their lounge floor back.
Eager to make the most of my predicament I was ready to peel away the coarse, grey veneer and examine the real Ipswich. Unfortunately, my first experience was in one of the roughest nightclubs in town: the Attic.
The Attic
Like any good story it began in a toilet stall. I was quietly going about my business when suddenly someone started thrashing the door with bare fists. I politely shouted: ‘Hang On!’, opened the door and was confronted by six guys hovering around lucky door number one.
The ring leader insisted I had stolen his beer which was sitting on the cistern behind me. I calmly suggested that perhaps he had left it there accidentally. My accent must have caught him off guard because he hesitated and then said to his mates: ‘this lads no’ from around ‘ere’; then to me,’you from the Ne’f’erlands?’ Soon afterwards I was told to leave or I was going to be ‘gutted’.
Slightly shaken but still unperturbed, I began to explore a city which would need a lot of work if it was to redeem itself. To my relief, and physical well-being, Ipswich turned out to have much more to offer than originally anticipated.
Ipswich Town
Located in the Suffolk County, in East Anglia (East England), Ipswich is a city of unusual contrasts. As you move from the outskirts towards the town centre you can see how it’s industrial legacy, from 18th century ship building and milling to 19th century agriculture and manufacturing, has been replaced by business and commerce.
This structural transition is often stark and sudden; and combined with development around numerous heritage sites, many of them dating back to the Middle Ages, leaves an architectural landscape which is historically eclectic.
The Wet Dock which opened in 1842 is testament to Ipswich’s development and maritime history. Today, Victorian buildings sit side-by-side with office complexes, trendy bars and empty warehouses and mills.
Ipswich is one of the oldest cities in England and is brimming with archaeological gems. It boasts over 660 listed buildings and 12 medieval churches. For example, The St Lawrence’s church, refurbished in Victorian times, is a prominent part of the townscape.
There are also a number of museums, art galleries and historic attractions including the Ipswich Transport Museum and the main Ipswich Museum - proud owner of a large, woolly mammoth; which nostalgically resemblances (albeit a very large version) my parent’s Labrador.
After Hours
Contrary to popular belief Ipswich is actually one of Suffolk’s main attractions. Every weekend people from all over the County flock to the town centre to sample its entertainment platter.
The main attraction, after shopping, has to be the Ipswich Town football stadium with a capacity of 22 000 people. It and its team are a great source of local pride and a conduit for English football passion in East Anglia.
If soccer, erm football, is not your thing, then you have other options such as arts and theatre. The Regent is East Anglia’s largest theatre and has been host to internationally renowned acts such as Ozzy Osbourne and The Beatles. This year’s line up includes Def Leppard, Miss Dynamite and some great British comics like Harry Hill.
The Corn Exchange and Wolsey Theatre are popular for more provincial and foreign cinema and performance arts. There are also many nightclubs (you’ll be please to know the Attic closed down) and bars, so you have a range of choices of where to ‘go mental’, ‘get mashed’ or just ‘laagered up wif yer mates’.
And to balance out a lifestyle of excess, Ipswich has impressive sporting centres which are all easily accessible. There is also the Christchurch Park; a massive green oasis consisting of historic parkland, mansions, monuments, grass and even wildlife! It’s not the Kruger Park but its brilliant for keen bird watchers.
The verdict
Ipswich is not London, and doesn’t have as much to offer. However, with a population of around 140 000 it is stuck somewhere between a big city and small town; for some people this is an ideal formula.
It is relatively cheap, not too busy and the standards of living are quite high. You can live in a decent terraced house, in a pleasant area for half of what you would pay in London. Ipswich is also surrounded by many beautiful towns, is near the coast and only an hour away from London by train.
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