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# New owners seek to revitalise Ipswich's Sailmakers Shopping Centre
- URL: https://www.ipswich.co.uk/new-owners-seek-to-revitalise-sailmakers-shopping-centre/
- Published: 2024-09-17T11:11:24.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-16T15:35:24.000Z
- Description: Sailmakers Shopping Centre in Ipswich is under new management, with plans to attract fresh retailers and breathe new life into the town centre destination.
- Author: Oliver Rouane-Williams
- Tags: News, Town Centre & Waterfront, Business, #article, Penn Commercial, Sailmakers, #Import 2026-03-16 14:46

**The big picture:** The shopping centre, sold earlier this year for a smidge over £3m to an unknown buyer, is now being managed by Landswood de Coy LLP.

[Penn Commercial](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/tag/penn-commercial/) and FHP have been appointed as letting agents to market empty units.

![Sailmakers in Ipswich](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/1e/291e4b7f-e551-4458-b546-61963954b22f/content/images/2026/03/1726571398-sailmakers-2-jpeg-1.jpg)

Sailmakers in Ipswich Photo: Oliver Rouane-Williams (Ipswich.co.uk)

**Key details:**

- [Sailmakers](https://www.ipswich.co.uk/tag/sailmakers/), located on Tavern Street, was built in 1986 and underwent extensive refurbishment in 2017.
- The centre spans 112,084 sq ft (10,413 sq m) of retail and leisure space but has faced ongoing challenges amidst ownership changes.
- Current tenants include Pandora, Boots, New Look, and Poundland.
- Ipswich Borough Council recently approved plans to create 26 new homes above the centre.

**What they're saying:**

Vanessa Penn, Managing Director of Penn Commercial, said: "We are excited to be chosen to let the flexible, multi-purpose units in Sailmakers Shopping Centre, located in the heart of Ipswich's busiest shopping thoroughfare."

Edward Schwab, Managing Partner at Landswood de Coy LLP, commented: "Sailmakers is a strategically located retail destination that presents a number of value-add opportunities that we look forward to progressing together with Penn and FHP."

Oliver Marshall, Director at FHP, added: "We are delighted to have been retained by Sailmakers' new owners to continue the good work started on attracting new operators to the Shopping Centre."

**The bottom line:** The new management aims to reinvigorate Sailmakers by bringing in new national and local retailers to enhance Ipswich's town centre offering.

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