Ipswich business the Green Man Lounge, which had to close down because of lockdown, is reopening to offer a vegan and vegetarian food takeaway service.

%image(15165161, type="article-full", alt="The Green Man Lounge in Ipswich is reopening as a vegetarian and vegan takeaway Picture: GREEN MAN LOUNGE")

Jessie Carter, who runs the cannabis lounge in Eagle Street together with partner Darryl Noe, said: “We had set up a lounge with sofas, but then we had to shut everything.

“We have had to massively adapt our business to survive. We have transformed the inside of our lounge to be a fully-functioning takeaway, to be able to serve a delicious vegan and gluten-free menu.”

Green Man Lounge opened up in 2018, as Suffolk’s first cannabis lounge. It sells a range of cannabis-derived products, including oils, pastes and powders containing CBD, a non-psychoactive constituent of cannabis.

Jessie said many of their customers were people with poor health who had needed to self-isolate during the pandemic.

%image(15165162, type="article-full", alt="Vegan "chicken" nuggets are one of the items on the menu from Green Man Lounge Picture: GREEN MAN LOUNGE")

She added they also sold hemp-based cosmetics, and said: “It is all in a legal form.

“We have taken all of our retail products out of the store and they can all be purchased through our website.”

Jessie said the lounge had been a place for people to meet and socialise, so the relaunch during lockdown was a big change.

READ MORE - Suffolk takeaways open for delivery and collectionThe couple have busy been home-schooling five children as well as running their business.

%image(15165163, type="article-full", alt="A gluten-free New York cheesecake from Green Man Lounge Picture: GREEN MAN LOUNGE")

Jessie is a vegan herself and said there was a growing demand for vegan food around Ipswich.

The Green Man menu takeaway menu includes the various “munchies” they had been selling in the lounge - with savoury dishes such as paninis, pizzas, vegan “chicken” nuggests and pasties, and desserts including gluten-free New York cheesecake.

Also on the takeaway and delivery menu are drinks including ice-cream milkshakes, smoothies and soda floats,

The food delivery service will start operating on Friday, May 22. Customers will initially be able to order food via Just Eat and from Tuesday, May 26 they should also be able to order via Deliveroo.

Jessie added: “If anyone outside the Ipswich area wants to order, they can order via the telephone, but there will be a delivery charge. Also if anyone wants a whole cake, cheesecake or brownie tray they can call up and order one, we just need a few days notice.” The number for these orders is 07523 876276. You can also find out more about Green Man’s food by visiting their Facebook page, @GreenManLounge