Our Story
Community Hub Ipswich (CHIp) was formed by a group of Ipswichians that came together as a result of the closing of the La Tour Café. After many months of discussions, we identified some local needs with regard to community spaces in Ipswich town centre.
In November 2020, we registered as a CIC with a long term vision and a plan to breathe life back into the high street. CHIp envisions spaces that encourage social interaction, to be used and utilised by all members of our community. This includes:
Working with multiple local community groups and organisations
Creating volunteer opportunities leading to paid employment
Meeting real needs in Ipswich
Enhancing creative lives
Developing local business
What would you like to see in this list?
CHIp’s belief is that everyone in our community has something to offer and will gain something from the community through projects, activities and groups. We extensively engage with volunteers, which helps people to gain work experience and find suitable employment.
We are currently based at 47 St Nicholas Street Ipswich and have been there since March 2022. We have supported numerous local traders, volunteers and groups and hosted a wide ranging variety of workshops, clubs and meetups, we have held open mics and gigs that have supported local artists and welcomed musicians from outside Ipswich too.
CHIp continues to evolve and expand in order to make the town centre more interesting and meet the needs of our community. We have recently opened a new building at 16 Turret Lane. Please see Our Chip Studios links in the menu for more details.