Historic Ipswich venue The Baths set for cutting-edge transformation

The Baths has received £1.92m to be transformed into a cutting-edge creative hub. The historic Ipswich venue on Civic Drive, originally a swimming pool which hosted the likes of Led Zeppelin, Cream, and Rod Stewart in the 1970s, has received the funding from Ipswich Borough Council. Youth-focused non-profit live music organisation Brighten the Corners will spearhead the regeneration, upgrading the music venue on the ground floor and transforming the unused first floor into a Creative Digital Skills Lab. 

The Lab is planned to launch in 2027, with construction set to begin next spring. Plans promise video production, live recording, and podcast facilities, and will provide local businesses, creative entrepreneurs, and community groups easy access to an array of workshops, training courses, and business development support. 

Brighten the Corners also run Ipswich venues The Church and Smokehouse, and are behind the eponymous multi-venue festival, formerly known as Sound City Ipswich. BTC chief executive Joe Bailey has said the development will “benefit the town for decades to come,” and that BTC’s ambitions are to “help connect and inspire the next generation of creative talent.”

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