EDitorial ± 12-Jan-2024

Ipswich Lunches: Bishops, Holywells Park

Do you ever complete those online surveys having been tempted by that "Win your shopping back" monthly prize? Nobody ever wins those, do they? Then I got an email saying "Thanks so much for filling in our SPILL Festival 2023 survey. We are delighted to let you know that you have been selected as the winner of our prize draw!" Lucky old me.

So it was that I arrived to meet Andy with a bottle of prosecco -- d'you want this? -- and a natty Spill Mega Bunny tote bag filled with condiments and sweet treats from local suppliers. Those remained intact despite the parlous state of the Holywell Park path: I'd chuck in a quid to the resurfacing fund. We've been here before, observed Andy, and the weather was nicer then. He'd already grabbed a pair of excellent padded armchairs by the window and was tucking into his sausage roll. No jackets today, chaps, explained the counter guy. Murky conditions, mid January, and nobody wants to be outside, hence closing early. Absolutely fair enough once I've ordered my matching sausage roll, thanks.

Internal layout is, as you'd expect, much as it was back in 2015. Did they have those booths then? Don't recall. Couple of them are occupied by a gaggle of meet-up mums and toddlers, taking their time to put their coats on. Then they were off leaving us as the only ones, two gentlemen of a certain age wiping crumbs from their chins.

Not a great day to visit, then, though I returned the next day as part of a breakfast bike ride. Place had transformed into a hotbed of young families on a bright Saturday morning, sipping coffees 'n' juice and nibbling cakes 'n' pastries. Going well in Holywells.

If it was a car -- Kia Cee'd.
If they were passing by -- Martin Seeley.