Ipswich Centre do you feel safe?

Ipswich Town Centre till death does it part?:

Turning on my phone this morning I saw yet another update of yet another shop closing down in Ipswich Town Centre. It is indeed a sorry state of affairs and like you, dear readers, we wonder what the long term outcome will be?, all holding onto the hope that M&S stick around or it could be the end of our high street? I often wonder what exactly the people in charge seem to think is going to happen unless they make some pretty swift changes. Some blame it on immigration, some blame it on poverty in general resulting in the drug issues, some on policing, but regardless of looking back at the reasons why, we are fast heading towards the CBD of Johannesburg, with the high street sounding like a nice idea but people being a little bit scared of going in. Like you, it is all good and well that I criticise but we do need to come together and find some kind of solution until it goes to pot. Ipswich were given more that £25 million to upgrade it and I have yet to see where that has really been spent. If anything, when the Botanist opened on the Cornhill it probably made more of a positive impact than anything else the council have so far tried. IBC talk of creating green spaces but rather than planting some palm trees in the centre ( yes that could lift our moods) they instead put up some granite and steps that resulted in the accidental death of a gentleman falling down and unfortunately passing away, then they then had to spend £3.6 million to reverse it! I do hope there is a role in the council in business development currently, actually, if there is, I think there needs to be another one slightly more dynamic who is finding retail investors offering great deals, low rental units, free promotions, and they are not just sitting around thinking that "Zara" for example may just call them on a Monday because "Zara's Boss" fancies popping up to Ipswich to open a store. If he/she does however, they would need to cross the bridge of doom from the station and glance at the shopping trollies in our river ( yes more money should be spent here too so that people actually can walk alongside it) or "Zara's Boss" could drive and park in one of our overpriced car parks! Whatever, the solution it needs to happen soon. If you are in my age bracket, 46 going on 21, you will remember those good old days of a vibrant fun centre, where shops were everywhere, bars were full and everyone smiled, and now that Ipswich Town Football Club have been promoted we should have a town centre to be proud. The other day I was shocked to see a man in his Yfronts sitting on the wall sunbathing... but it did make me think. Kids have a code of conduct at school, playgrounds, we have a code of conduct in pubs and doctors etc... so maybe Ipswich town centre should too. " Ipswich Town Centres Code of Conduct" its worth a try no?