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A Snapshot Into... Ipswich

• August 23, 2021

Ipswich is a town in Suffolk, an English county in the east. Its waterfront, which runs alongside the River Orwell, is dotted with cafes, galleries, and stores, as well as the 19th-century Old Custom House, which commemorates the city's nautical past. There's always something cultural to experience in Ipswich, whether you're into, musicals, dance, comedy, art, or music.

Ipswich Hospital is one of two Acute Hospitals that belongs to East Suffolk and North Essex (NHS) Foundation Trust. East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) is a hospital and community health care provider serving Colchester, Ipswich, and the surrounding area. ESNEFT, which began operations on the 1^st July, 2018, is the region's major NHS provider. The Trust runs Colchester Hospital and Ipswich Hospital.

Facts about Ipswich

• Ipswich is around 1,400 years old. There’s evidence to suggest that Ipswich was initially founded in the early 7th century as a trading settlement.  Being connected to the rest of the country via a large river and the sea made Ipswich a great place to trade for early settlers.

• In the early 1700’s Newspapers were being founded all over Britain, and Ipswich was one of the first towns to have their own local newspaper.  The first Ipswich newspaper was called the ‘Suffolk Mercury’. 

• Ipswich is one of the oldest inhabited English towns with over 650 listed buildings. These include Christchurch Mansion, the Ancient House, the Unitarian Meeting House, Isaacs and a collection of Victorian buildings which dot the high street.

• Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Zoo, which first featured on our television screens over 15 years ago, is located just a few miles from Ipswich. The farm has grown from humble beginnings to become a top destination with an award-winning restaurant, a fantastic farm shop and other stores, a nature trail, and a butterfly house (opening 2022). Throughout the year, there are a number of festivals that celebrate science, food, drink, and music.

Cost of Living in Ipswich

Cost of Renting Accommodation per month in Ipswich 

One-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£612.00
One-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£537.00
Three-Bedroom Apartment in the City Centre	£1,075.00
Three-Bedroom Apartment outside of the City Centre	£895.83

Transportation

1ltr Petrol	£1.28
One-Way Public Transport Ticket	£2.30
Monthly Public Transport Ticket	£50.00
1km Taxi Journey	£0.87

Entertainment

Meal out for two in a local pub	£12.00
Meal out for two in a mid-range restaurant, 3 courses	£40.00
Cinema tickets for one person	£10.10
One-month gym membership	£32.38
Tennis court rental for 1 hour on the weekend	£9.75
Beer 0.5ltr bottle	£3.90
Coke/Pepsi 0.33ltr bottle	£1.66
Cappuccino	£2.81

Time It Takes to Travel by Train from Ipswich to Cities in the UK

City	Time it Takes to Travel
London	1 Hour 10 Minutes
Bristol	3 Hours 31 Minutes
Cardiff	3 Hour 55 Minutes
Manchester	4 Hours 5 Minutes
Newcastle	5 Hours
Birmingham	3 Hours 4 Minutes
Liverpool	4 Hours 11 Minutes
Edinburgh	6 Hours 33 Minutes

Education in Ipswich

According to the government website, Ipswich has 34 primary schools and 13 Secondary schools. To find out more information about term dates, applications, standards, curriculum and general education, visit Gov.co.uk.

The University of Suffolk is a public university situated in Suffolk and Norfolk, England. The modern university was established in 2007 as University Campus Suffolk, the institution was founded as a unique collaboration between the University of East Anglia and the University of Essex. The University has already been recognised for its teaching, holding a TEF Bronze award status, and was ranked in the top 10 for Courses and Lecturers, top 15 for Job Prospects and top 20 for Student Support in the Whatuni Student Rankings 2019.

Things to do in Ipswich:

Sail down the river Orwell

We think a trip along the picturesque River Orwell should be at the top of your to do list! There are several options which start from the marina at the Ipswich waterfront.

Park Walks

Ipswich has some incredible parks both within the town itself and on the outskirts. Take in the wildlife as you stroll around lakes; Orwell Park has stunning views of the river.

Restaurants

Treat yourself to some Michelin star meals; Ipswich is home to several Michelin star restaurants including Miller and Carter, Harvester – Ravenswood and Seckford Hall Hotel.

Theatre

If your preference is for theatre, live music or comedy, there is a range of venues offering exciting events. The 400 seater New Wolsey Theatre is central to cultural life in Suffolk and is host to many dynamic new productions. Some of these are written and produced in-house and other pieces are collaborations or on tour from London and further afield.

Relocating to Ipswich

If you’re an international doctor looking to relocate to Ipswich, or another location in the UK, please email your CV to [email protected] and we can support you in securing an NHS post and on your journey to relocate to the UK.

Are you a member of our Facebook group? When you join IMG Advisor, you join a community of doctors all looking to relocate to the UK and join the NHS. We post a series of vlogs and blogs to the group every day. We will also be on hand to answer all of your relocation queries.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel! We have over 60 videos on everything you need to know about relocating to the UK and joining the NHS!

Listen to BDI Resourcing on the go to IMG Advisor the Podcast. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Buzzsprout. We have a number of episodes with tips and advice on relocating to the UK and the routes you can take to achieve this.

References

Numbeo.com, 2021. Cost of Living in Ipswich. [online] Numbeo.com. Available at: <https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Weston-super-Mare-United-Kingdom> [Accessed 23 July 2021].