About Ipswich Waterfront
Living at the waterfront means beauty and history surrounds you, and you will also become part of a vibrant and diverse community. It is a fantastic place to meet new people, socialise with new friends and create a new beginning. Ipswich Waterfront is the ideal place to set up home, whether you are a young professional, a family, or looking for somewhere to relax now you have retired. There is an array of services available within easy distance, all boasting a warm, welcome and friendly atmosphere.
Ipswich Waterfront benefits from various convenience stores, quaint delis and supermarkets, all selling a vast array of local and international produce. Those looking for an active lifestyle can find a range of dance classes to suit all at Dance East, and a state-of-the-art gym at the nearby Cardinal Park. The waterfront is also a great place to simply walk, jog or cycle, with its peaceful and always picturesque scenery. Or you could simply spend your time people watching at one of the many cafés, restaurants and bars.
The waterfront is also a major location for education, as the home of both the University Campus Suffolk, and Suffolk New College – providing both further and higher education courses in stunning facilities. There are also nurseries and primary schools nearby, and there is excellent transport links to the town’s high schools and academies.
Ipswich Waterfront features a vast number of high quality accommodation to suit all budgets, whether you’re looking to buy a penthouse apartment with views of the marina, or have come to Ipswich to study and are looking to stay at the universities’ stunning halls of residence. The Ipswich Waterfront offers one of the most enchanting living areas in the town with a highly vibrant and diverse community, and a convenient and picturesque environment.
Heritage of Ipswich Waterfront
Since the millennium, Ipswich Waterfront has evolved from an industrial port to cultural utopia, fast becoming a haven for those seeking more sophisticated entertainment and lifestyle. Ipswich Waterfront is a central hub for business, leisure and education, playing host to vibrant restaurant and bar scene, thriving residential and commercial development projects and the new University Campus Suffolk, which features some of the most modern facilities in the UK.
Once known as the biggest Wet dock in Europe, the area is now rapidly delivering it’s full potential to visitors, businesses and residents. Felaw Maltings and Ip-City Centre, situated on the Western bank of the river are now in high demand for business space, whereas the quayside itself has encouraged an array of investors, businesses and visitors who want to explore and enjoy the astounding area.
For those seeking a quiet taste of Suffolk life, the Waterfront offers up the chance to spot wildlife such as seals and waterfowl birds, while enjoying good food and wine with picturesque views on the quayside. While more active pursuits on offer include two marinas for sailing and Dance East, offering an assortment of dance lessons from contemporary to ballet as well as live performance.
This historic maritime area dates back to 1842, boasting a wealth of history in the Old Custom House, which was built in 1845 and historic sites and scenic views when taking an enjoyable walk or cruise. Ipswich Waterfront boasts a friendly community with a variety of young and established businesses reaping the benefits of picturesque scenes, expanding business opportunities and accessible transport, where residents and visitors enjoy a mixture of both historical and modern architecture as well as an affable nightlife.
Business & Education at Ipswich Waterfront
Ipswich Waterfront is an extraordinary location for business, with a captivating setting guaranteed to inspire productivity in the work place – it’s also a great area of the town to bring in prospective and potential clients. If you prefer doing business over lunch or coffee, instead of the stale meeting room, the waterfront provides a great selection of unique and stylish outlets, serving the very best in both local and international cuisine.
The development of the waterfront has seen this once industrial area renewed into a modern vista, beautifully marrying the old with stylish contemporary buildings. There is a continental feel as you walk along the quay and across the waterfront area, with picturesque scenes of Tudor buildings and cobbled streets coupled with new buildings showcasing the very best in modern architecture.
Felaw Maltings have been central to the life of Ipswich waterfront for over 100 years, and were in use until right up to 1981. However, by 1984, they were on the buildings at-risk register. Since then, they have been fully restored, kick-starting the regeneration and restoration of Ipswich waterfront on a massive scale. This grade 2-listed building, along with its modern counterpart IP-City, provide the waterfront with first class serviced office and conferencing facilities for all types of businesses.
The all-new University Campus Suffolk has brought fresh opportunities to businesses in the area, with the New Suffolk College also having received a facelift, with a brand new campus to cater for a wider range of vocational courses. The university is continually forging links with business to help enrich the programmes and courses that are available to students, creating new and exciting opportunities for companies to inform the education process.
For those who need to be on the go, there are great transport facilities; with the train station situated a short walk from the quayside and two dedicated bus stations in the heart of the town centre, providing a regular direct-link to Stansted Airport. The train station services excellent links to the rest of the country with direct routes to London, Cambridge, Norwich and many more.
The Ipswich Waterfront has already seen some amazing new builds and has truly enriched the area with high prospects of becoming a major centre for business. There are many future developments planned, which will see this unique quarter of Ipswich prosper and grow for many years to come.