Ipswich market traders celebrate new home on Cornhill
Ipswich Market's new site in front of Lloyds Avenue arch is popular with traders. - Credit: Paul Geater
Market traders in Ipswich are celebrating after their move to allow work to start on the Old Post Office earlier this month.
Most of the market stalls have moved from the top of Princes Street to a new site on the Cornhill in front of the Lloyds Avenue arch.
Mick Catchpole, who runs Catchy''s Fruit and Veg, had no doubt what he thought of the move.
He said: "We're over the moon. We really feel part of the town centre here.
"There are so many people walking past, it's the best place we've ever been in. I hope we stay here for good, we've never had so much passing trade. We're 100% keen to stay here."
He was backed up by Mike Young, who runs the fish stall, who added: "We're very pleased with the new position. No one can miss us here."
Not all the stalls have moved to the bottom of Lloyds Avenue - most of the food stalls have stayed in or around Giles Circus in a move which has split the market in two.
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The move has come as work to turn the Old Post Office into The Botanist is expected to be followed by the conversion of the former Little Waitrose store at the bottom of the Corn Exchange into street food restaurant.
Both of those restaurants want to be able to have tables outside for Alfresco dining - so market stalls are unlikely to return to their former positions at the top of Princes Street.
But Ipswich market stalls have been used to a nomadic existence since they had to leave the Corn Exchange more than half a century ago.
Since It moved to the then-new Greyfriars Shopping Centre in 1969, it has had six more moves until it reached its current position.
And that is not guaranteed for the long term - the redevelopment of the former Debenhams store and the ambition to create more restaurants and bars at the bottom of Lloyds Avenue could mean that it might have to move again in the not-to-distant future.
