Tesco confirms proposal to open new store in Ipswich’s Great White Horse hotel

An old postcard of the Great White Horse in the early years of the 20th century. Picture: ARCHANT

MORE: Cotswold closes Ipswich storeTesco would not need to get planning permission for a new store because it already has retail use – however it would need permission from planners for changes to what is one of the most historic listed buildings in the town centre.

Planners would also have to approve the signs for the new store to ensure they did not detract from the historic frontage of the former hotel that achieved immortality when Charles Dickens gave it a less-than-flattering description in the Pickwick Papers.

This is Tesco’s second attempt to open a store in that part of Tavern Street. Several years ago it tried to create a new store in the former Croydons jewellers on the opposite side of the street but after drawing up plans decided the ground floor was not large enough for a small supermarket.

That unit was eventually taken over by Jack Wills – but now it has emerged that will not be reopening after the lockdown.

MORE: Concern over Tesco’s plans for CroydonsA spokeswoman for Tesco said: “We’re keen to open a store and serve customers on Tavern Street, Ipswich and we’ll update the local community on our plans as we move forwards.”

Ipswich councillor Colin Kreidewolf is involved in economic development projects in the town, and said Tesco arriving there would be good news: “We need to have more things for the increasing numbers of people living in the town. There used to be more town centre supermarkets and food halls until about 40 years ago.

“Then it went the other way with the big edge-of-town superstores and the council had to dig in to keep Sainsburys in Upper Brook Street – but now with the change in lifestyle people want the convenience of town centre food stores again.”

People have until August 12 to make representations about the drinks’ licence and the borough is expected to make a decision in the early autumn – but it would be a major surprise if the licence is not granted.

Centuries of tradition at Great White Horse

The Great White Horse was originally a coaching inn and dates from the 16th century – but achieved fame after Charles Dickens stayed there as a young journalist in the 1830s.

He used the experience to poke fun of its small rooms and dark corridors in The Pickwick Papers – but that didn’t stop its owners trading on the Dickens connection for more than a century.

Until the early 1970s it was the main upmarket hotel for Ipswich – although there was a proposal to pull it down and redevelop the site after the Post House (now Holiday Inn) opened at Copdock.

The Ipswich Society galvanised to save the building but over the last half century it has undergone a steady change in fortunes. The small bedrooms that Dickens disliked were listed and it became increasingly outdated for guests – it ceased operating as a hotel in 2008 and its bar which was once popular with local drinkers closed.

Since then its ground floor has been converted into retail units, and until the end of 2018 there was a Starbucks coffee shop but that closed pending a redevelopment that has never taken place.

The closure of Cotswold last year left the whole building empty again – although some rooms were used as temporary offices during the conversion of the East Hotel behind it.

There have been proposals to turn the upper floors into a business centre, but it is known that the listing on the building would make any such conversion a challenge for architects.

The arrival of Tesco would give part of the building a new lease of life – but the rest is still looking for a new use.