Campaign to save Ipswich’s ‘at risk’ historic buildings continues following success of Arlingtons and The Old Bell

Arlingtons (Image: Archant)

The former pub has been taken over by funeral directors who have renovated and preserved this important part of the town’s heritage for generations to come.

Local expert John Field said: “This is a lovely old building and it is great it has been saved.”

He also welcomed the fact that it had been saved by private enterprise.

Sadly many of Ipswich’s rich heritage and special buildings were lost during the 1950s and 1960s to re-development. Some disappeared simply due to new road schemes while others were replaced with more constructions.

Historic building under renovation in College Street, Ipswich close to St Peter's By The Waterfront (Image: Archant)

It is easy to look back at some replacement buildings and regret the quality of what has been built on the site of those earlier properties.

But our remaining building heritage is being saved, slowly.

Quay Place, on the Waterfront, is a fantastic example of finding new purposes for old buildings.It has been the subject of major restoration having narrowly escaped wartime bombing.Among the other special buildings saved in recent years are the original Ipswich Museum, in Museum Street, which is now Arlingtons restaurant and cafe.The former dance hall was saved in 2008, after standing empty for 20 years.Now The Old Bell Inn, in Stoke Street, has been restored and so it is removed from the council’s `At Risk’ register.Back in 1987 there were 44 Ipswich buildings, out of 550 listed, on the register as endangered.By 2012 a great deal of progress had been made and there were just six listed out of a total of 650.They were:• 1-5 College Street• 4 College Street• St Michael’s Church, Upper Orwell Street• The Old Bell Inn• The Tolly Brewery, Cliff Quay

• County Hall, St Helens Street

This building in College Street remains at risk (Image: Archant)