Ballot 2026

By Business. For Business. For Ipswich.

Over the last term, Ipswich Central has delivered real, measurable impact for businesses across the town centre.

From improving safety and standards, to driving footfall, events, marketing and investment, the BID has worked to create a stronger, safer and more vibrant town centre economy.

Now, as the ballot for another term approaches, we are setting out the next chapter.

A renewed vision for Ipswich.
A town centre businesses can be proud of.
A BID focused on delivery.

What we've delivered

Safety & Standards

Ipswich Central has worked closely with Suffolk Police, Ipswich Borough Council and local partners to improve safety, cleanliness and confidence across the town centre.

Achievements include:

Supporting 230 arrests since 2024
Recovering over £29,000 in stolen stock
Helping deter more than £361,000 in shoplifting
Delivering monthly standards walks with key partners, resolving more than 50 identified issues
Improving alleyway lighting and key public spaces
Installing new hanging baskets and planters across the town
Invested in major public art, street murals and vacant unit activation projects

Campaigns and Marketing

Ipswich Central has delivered campaigns and events designed to bring people into town.

Highlights include:

The “Welcome Home Ed” campaign, bringing an estimated 200,000 additional visitors into Ipswich
Sip’Swich generating more than 10,000 customer visits and at least £60,000 in additional spend
Forknight delivering over 5,000 additional meals sold and more than £100,000 in economic impact
Ipswich Craft Beer Week taking place across multiple venues
Partnering with Brighten The Corners, bringing 2300 visitors from outside Suffolk.
Supporting Ipswich Book Festival, bringing 1000 visitors
The Traitors finale screening attracting hundreds of visitors into the town centre
Building the largest social media channels for Ipswich, with content viewed more than 6.2 million times times

A Stronger Vision for Ipswich

The next term is about building on momentum.

We want an Ipswich that feels safer, looks better and attracts more people.

The key themes will build on our achievements, with a focus on:

Standards: The town needs care, consistency and pride. If Ipswich doesn’t feel looked after and safe, nothing else, matters.

Campaigns: We’ve built momentum. Now we scale it. Learn from experience. Analyse data. Keep what works. Make it bigger. Make it better.

Festivals: A town needs energy. A reason to visit. A reason to come back. We will build it. Clear pillars. Clear audiences. More people in town. More reasons to stay.

The Upcoming Ballot

The BID ballot will take place from the 19th June to the 16th July, in which all eligible businesses will be able to vote for the continuation of Ipswich Central.

More detail on the full business plan, priorities and programme will be published shortly.

Together, we can continue building a town centre that works for business, works for visitors and works for Ipswich.