An Ipswich barbershop could be moving next door into a former bakery to make way for a new shisha café.
On Saturday, Victoria's Bakery in Tacket Street closed its doors for the final time.
The branch, along with another in Norwich Road, shut after nearly 20 years in the town. While the independent Ipswich bakery will continue trading from its three other locations, speculation has been growing as to what will replace the empty sites.
MORE: Jobs lost and shop shut as Ipswich bookies becomes 'unviable' under new legislationFor the Tacket Street property, it appears the answer is just next door.
A planning application has been submitted to Ipswich Borough Council which would see TC Traditional Turkish Barbers move next door into the former site of Victoria's Bakery and transform its current location into a shisha café.
If the change of use application proves successful the shisha café will create six new jobs.
The application describes a shisha café, or hookah bar, as "an establishment where patrons share shisha from a communal hookah or from one which is placed at each table or bar".
It states: "Many shisha bars incorporate such elements as Islamic music, Arabic music and Indian Music. In Europe this is not universal and shisha lounges are simply a bar of café without the overt eastern cultural elements.
"Shisha lounges do not typically have alcohol licences but instead derive the bulk of their revenue from sales of coffee, tea, soft drinks and snack foods."
Included in the application are plans to install a ventilation system at the site of the current barbers to allow for food and drink to be prepared.
While the arrival of a shisha café would add variety to what is on offer in Ipswich town centre, many of the bakery's loyal customer base continue to mourn the loss of the Tacket Street branch.
"The staff are incredibly kind and caring", said one disappointed customer.
"I've been in there several times and each visit has been a joy, was even nice just to go in there for a chat, this is awful news."
Another added: "They were lovely in this branch - I used to love the doorstep sandwiches."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here