Ipswich Suffolk Punch pub open again with new team at bar

Now Drew and Martine Jenkin-Haymond have taken over and reopened the pub in Norwich Road.

The couple have moved to Ipswich from South Wales, where they have run several pubs over the years.

Their arrival comes at the end of a difficult few weeks - the pub reopened in early July after being closed for several weeks.

However it closed again a fortnight later after a dispute blew up between the licensee and the manager.

Now it is back in operation and Mr Jenkin-Haymond said he was very encouraged by the first weekend's trading.

The Suffolk Punch pub in Norwich Road, Ipswich (Image: Newsquest)

He said: "We opened at 12 on Friday and it was very busy that day and on Sunday - a lot of the customers seem to have gone to the racing on Saturday!"

There are already live music nights lined up and the pub will be screening Sky Sports, giving fans the chance to watch football together.

And Mr Jenkin-Haymond is keen to start up traditional pub games like pool and darts leagues.

Eventually they hope to get the kitchen open and serve food - but that will have to wait until it is ready.

Mr Jenkin-Haymond added: "We don't want to go at that half-cocked. We do want to get food on offer in a few weeks time but we want to get the pub fully established first."

The pub has had a troubled few years but is back open under new landlords (Image: Paul Geater)

The Suffolk Punch has had a difficult few years - it closed shortly before the first Covid lockdown in 2020 and reopened later in the year, only to then suffer from various restrictions until the summer of 2021.

It closed again in May this year before reopening at the start of July.