Essential Vintage in Ipswich vows to be destination store

To reinforce its place on the high street, Essential Vintage in Eagle Street has undergone a huge redecoration effort in a bid to increase footfall, more than 18 months after a spate of thefts saw the store close temporarily.

Josh Byworth, the owner of the shop, said: "I never wanted to leave, but it got to a point where there was low foot fall and then all of the shop lifting went on.

The shop had £600 worth of stock stolen last year, but has bounced back from the setbacks bolder than ever before (Image: Essential Vintage) "So we have rearranged the whole shop again, spent some time to redecorate it and give it a big go, and people are starting to come back.

"We'd love to move to a bigger place in the town but we can't afford the rent which is three times what we are paying now, but we are becoming a bit of a destination shop.

"We have redecorated and it's like a new shop, it's been a big lift."

The shop in Eagle Street has been going for almost three years (Image: Essential Vintage) Essential Vintage has undergone a huge redecoration recently as it stakes it's claim on Ipswich's highstreet (Image: Essential Vintage) Ipswich's high street has, like many others across the country, had its struggles in recent years but a number of high profile announcements are giving business leaders hopes.

This includes the opening of Flannels earlier in the month and Sports Direct at the end of November, as well as confirmation that Marks & Spencer is retaining a presence in the town centre for several more years.

Ipswich Borough Council leader Neil MacDonald has recently praised the opening of the new shops and painted a more positive picture of Ipswich's shopping landscape.

Mr Byworth has teased big new plans for the shop coming soon (Image: Essential Vintage) Amidst the challenges of owning a shop on the high street, Mr Byworth is determined to keep on going amid big plans for next year.

He said: "I have been selling clothes for 10 years and I have not had to work this hard, things have never been this tough.

Josh Byworth at his shop in Ipswich's Eagle Street (Image: Archant)

"But we are going to keep ticking along.

"We have big plans for next year that are really cool that suit us and what we are trying to create, in regards to creativity and sustainability, but I can't say too much."