Editorial

This Newsletter may not look quite the same as usual. Perhaps that's no bad thing. The main reason is my old friend, a Macintosh Performa, finally expired when I was part way through preparing this issue. That the Newsletter is finished at all is thanks to Dennis Allen and John Kemmett. But if you find some inconsistencies or omissions don't blame my helpers. It's the fault of a computer which gave up after only fifteen years!

I hope you find some cheering material in these pages. Pessimism about the economy has spread rapidly. Still, Ipswich may not suffer the downturn extremes of towns reliant on very high paid jobs or astronomical City bonuses. But to cheer you up, you can read here about magnificent medieval churches brought back to life, ambitious plans for our museums, and things you could do to save money while helping to save the planet!

I was delighted to encounter the international street market in Butter Market on Saturday, 24 May. It brought more of a buzz to the town centre and gave a new temporary character to our finest street - even though not everyone liked the sale of hot potatoes and French bread right outside the Ancient House. My only criticism was that I saw no prior advertising. The market attracted attention on the day, but I fear that those who only stroll up and down 'The Golden Mile' might not have found it at all. Perhaps its time to stop thinking of a 'Golden Mile' anyway. There are excellent shops for example in Butter Market and elsewhere in the centre.

Neil Salmon