Ipswich: Miami Bar to open in former New York Exchange Bar

David Thomas, the owner of The Purple Shop in Fonnereau Road, has bought the former New York Exchange Bar in Falcon Street.

The new bar will be called Miami, as Mr Thomas lived in Florida for 10 years and regularly spent nights out and took trips to Miami.

Mr Thomas said: "My business partner Leyla Edwards was approached by someone about the building and she asked whether I was interested.

David Thomas took over the space, and wants to make it different to other clubs in Ipswich (Image: Charlotte Bond)

"I came along to check it out and it's not a bad condition at all, so I figured let's go for it.

"Leyla got very excited because she knew I lived in America for 10 years, but not New York, so I floated the idea of Miami too he and she loved it."

Mr Thomas is travelling back to Miami soon to get more inspiration for decor and what bars are like there, with the inside of the bar mirroring those in America.

He added: "There is going to be a lot of surfboards and we are going to have music that you would hear in Miami.

David Thomas has called his new bar Miami, after living in Florida for 10 years (Image: Charlotte Bond)

"We don't want to be like every other club in Ipswich, we will have a wide variety of music from Northern Soul and dub and reggae to Ska and Rock."

The bar has a licence to stay open until 4am, but Mr Thomas has said that that will only be of use for special events.

He said: "I am really looking forward to it opening.

"It's been six weeks of non-stop work. I basically haven't slept."

The owners plan to do a soft launch event in the middle of September, followed by a big event at the end of the month.

The Purple Shop, also under the ownership of Mr Thomas, is set to move to a new location.

David Thomas also owns The Purple Shop in Ipswich (Image: Charlotte Bond)