Why it matters: The St Stephen's Lane venue has rebranded after taking a summer hiatus and will now operate from Thursday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:00, starting in September.
The details: The Church is part of the Brighten The Corners family of venues, alongside The Smokehouse and The Baths. The cafe, bar, record shop and music venue describes itself as Ipswich's cultural hub for creatives, music lovers and communities to gather.
The venue offers takeaway-friendly service, where customers can order food directly to their seat, alongside what it claims is "the best sound system and playlist in Ipswich."
What's happening: September marks a full calendar of events, with both free daytime and evening activities alongside live music performances.
Regular events include Vinyl Communion every Thursday from 4 September, featuring weekly local vinyl DJs and selectors, and The B*stard Hard Pop Quiz on Wednesday, 10 September, hosted by Roki for £3 per player.
Special events: The venue will celebrate one year as a cafe and bar with a birthday party on Saturday, 6 September from 12:00-22:00, featuring drinks, snacks and DJ sets. The event coincides with Mike Joyce's (The Smiths) DJ set at The Baths later that evening.
The Ipswich Record Fair returns to The Church on Sunday, 7 September, whilst Friday, 12 September will see a collaboration with King Street Cinema for a Pavement documentary screening followed by a 90s indie rock DJ set from 21:00-00:00.
Other highlights include the Church Boot Flea Market on Saturday, 20 September from 10:00-16:00, featuring second-hand clothes, accessories, bric-a-brac and books, and a Harvest Fair on Saturday, 27 September with folk DJs, harvest traders, talks and workshops.
Live music: The reopening weekend features Rad Pitt on Friday, 29 August, celebrating ten years of the band with support from Bridget, Eat Your Own Head and Sophie The Great.
September's live music lineup includes Norwich folk band The Rabbitts on Friday, 5 September, Jack The Lad's CD and vinyl release launch on Saturday, 20 September, and London folk duo Stick In The Wheel on Friday, 26 September.
The bottom line: The Church's rebrand and extended hours signal its commitment to being Ipswich's go-to cultural venue, offering everything from morning coffee to late-night gigs in the heart of the town centre.
