Skip to main contentEnter
Join 7,200+ people who care about this town
Ipswich.co.uk logoSupport our work
News

Digital Ipswich Innovation Showcase opens this week at the Buttermarket

Ipswich residents can explore the future of the high street at the Buttermarket Shopping Centre from Thursday through Saturday.

Why it matters: The showcase demonstrates how modern technology can create immersive customer experiences that could help high streets attract more visitors and increase engagement, supporting local businesses and the town centre economy.

The new Buttermarket shopping centre entrance
Ipswich residents can experience cutting-edge digital technology at the Buttermarket Shopping Centre from Thursday through Saturday(Oliver Rouane-WilliamsIpswich.co.uk)

The details: The showcase runs from Thursday, 13 March at 12.30pm until Saturday, 15 March at 4pm in the Buttermarket Shopping Centre.

Visitors can interact with three main exhibits:

  • A "phygital" Pop-Up XR Experience merging physical retail with digital technologies (AR/VR)

  • Zubr's innovative binoculars that let visitors see a digitally recreated Ipswich from the 1890s

  • The Proto Hologram box, which uses AI and holographic technology to create immersive experiences

What they're saying: "Join us and be among the first to experience these revolutionary digital innovations in real life," said the organisers, who describe the showcase as "more than just an exhibition—it's a glimpse into how digital transformation shapes the high street's future."

The bigger picture: The event is part of Ipswich Thrive Business Week which started yesterday and runs until next Tuesday.

The bottom line: The Digital Ipswich Innovation Showcase aims to demonstrate how blending storytelling, technology, and interactive experiences could help businesses and local economies thrive.

You can read it for free thanks to the generous support of PLMR Genesis and Start, Build & Grow

Despite a lack of promotion, the big reveal drew a good crowd of passersby

We're regenerating Ipswich – but we can't do it without you!

People tell us every day that our work matters – that it's making Ipswich better; that it's needed. But our work costs money, and unlike the Ipswich Star, we're not funded by national advertisers or owned by corporate US overlords. For just £4.75 a month, you can help fund our mission to restore pride of place and accelerate the much-needed regeneration of the town we call home.
Become a member →

In other news...

News

Man bailed until April following Ipswich sexual assault arrest

A 19-year-old man arrested on suspicion of rape following a serious sexual assault in Ipswich town centre has been released on police bail pending further enquiries, to answer on 27 April.
by
Continue reading →
News

Suffolk student beats 4,000 rivals to showcase art in London

Third-year fine art student Belinda Downing's installation, inspired by Bawdsey's wartime ruins, will be displayed at a prestigious exhibition after being selected from thousands of entries nationwide.
by
Continue reading →
News

Sizewell C PPE contract creates 23 Suffolk jobs

Sizewell C has appointed Suffolk Safety Solutions as its primary supplier of personal protective equipment, creating 23 new local jobs over a three-year contract.
by
Continue reading →
Load more content
Our journalism is free thanks to
Our journalism is free thanks to
Want our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday?

Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter?

If you haven’t, you really should. You’ll get our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon, just in time for the weekend. You can unsubscribe at any time, although 99.7% of people don’t.

  • Lee Walker
  • Joe Bailey of Brighten the Corners
  • Mark Hubert
7,260+ people are already loving it