St Stephen's Church: Historic building to become music venue

There was a lengthy queue to catch TV Priest at St Stephen's Church during the 2021 Sound City event

Plans for an historic church to become a music venue and community space are to be rubber stamped.

Ipswich Borough Council will approve a new tenant for the unused St Stephen's Church in Arras Square, which was the Tourist Information Centre until it closed in 2020.

The space was used as part of last year's Sound City weekend.

Ipswich borough councillor Colin Kreidewolf said: "I am really pleased that it is coming together."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the space would operate as an art and cultural community space during the day, while in the evenings it would be a venue for music, comedy and poetry, with bar facilities.

It was likely to have a capacity of 200-225 people and should be open by the end of the year.

Council officers recommended the executive agree to a new 20-year lease for the Grade II listed building.

Work to bring the building up to scratch would include provision of toilets, sound-proofing, additional electrical supply, repositioning of the font, new heating and preserving or relocating wall-hunt hatchment panels.

The plans say 1,000 independent artists will be supported in the first three years of the project, which is predicted to attract an additional 25,000 visits to the church.

The council's report added: "Ipswich is missing the opportunity to attract performers who will tour to other nearby towns and cities.

"There is an opportunity to work collaboratively with the operator and other surrounding businesses and organisations to improve this area and create an active public realm area."

The proposals follow the reopening of the St Matthew's Baths building for live music, which also returned to use for the Sound City Ipswich event, hosting a show by Yard Act among others.

The Baths will also be taking part in Independent Venue Week from Wednesday, with gigs by The Orielles, Andy Bell Space Station, Girls Of The Internet and Field Music.