Community leaders in Ipswich are exploring a bid for city status to boost the town’s culture and heritage.
Ipswich Borough Council has teamed up with Ipswich Central to create a new culture and heritage strategy.
This strategy aims to promote cultural activities within the town while keeping the option open to apply for city status in the future.
Readers of the Ipswich Star have shared their opinions about the potential city status.
"It’s got the history, the growing population, a proper university, and a waterfront that’s completely transformed over the years.
"You can feel the place moving forward – new businesses, events, loads of development.
"It already feels like a city, so why not just make it official?
"Would be a huge boost for the area and bring in even more investment and opportunities.
"About time Ipswich got the recognition it’s earned."
Conversely, some readers are sceptical.
Jennie Butcher-Hancock said: "Ipswich cannot even appear to cope very well at being a town, so probably best not consider big ideas as becoming a city."
Dee Harrison added: "It can never be a city with the state of the town centre, how it is, half the shops are empty and the ones that are open are repeated again and again."
Phil Benstead was in support of the city status, he said: "Yes, it should become a city, Suffolk needs a city.
"Colchester, Chelmsford & Southend are all cities now in Essex & Ipswich is easily as big or bigger than all of them in size."
Dave Cooper simply said: "Yes - should have happened years ago."
