Work starts on town square's portal to other lands

The portal is planned to link to towns and cities around the world

A portal in a town's main square which provides a real-time visual link to another destination in the world has started being installed.

Ipswich Borough Council said the structure outside the Town Hall on the Cornhill was the first of its kind in the UK.

The portal will link to portals already operating in Dublin in Ireland, Philadelphia in the US, and Vilnius in Lithuania.

Neil MacDonald, Labour council leader, said: "The portal project was chosen to boost visitor numbers, increase footfall and place Ipswich alongside forward-thinking cities around the world."

Ipswich's main square has had water fountains installed in recent years

The installation was created by Benediktas Gylys, a Lithanuan artist and entrepreneur, and allowed passers-by to see and interact with people in real time.

The planning committee had backed the proposal, on the condition it would be in place for five years, rather than being a permanent fixture.

It was a part of the Digital Ipswich programme which was delivered by the council through the government-funded Towns Investment Fund.

Future locations for similar portals were also planned for Barre Grane in Brazil, Manila in the Philippines, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

MacDonald said: "It's a powerful symbol of unity and innovation, allowing people to see and connect with others across the globe — right from the heart of our town.

"More cities are joining the movement, but Ipswich will always be the UK's first."