• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Ipswich
• Category: Events and Entertainment

Ipswich IP4 1HE
01473 433100

robynf said
good
this theatre is next door to the old odeon on st margarets st - not to be confused with the corn exchange which is more towards the middle of town. the parking is shocking so you have to find somewhere else to park, but once you get there its a great venue. they have lots of big comedy names doing stand up here like jimmy carr and the mighty boosh and billy connolly, and they also have theatre and musical performances like blondie. it's big inside and well looked after, and apaprt from the parking i don't think i can think of any downsides with this venue!

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Sightseeing and Attractions

Colchester CO3 0SL

robynf said
zoo
this is widely acknowledged as the best zoo in the world! having been to london zoo and other ones around the country i can say this is probably true. it's literally miles and miles of amazing animals which you don't get to see anywhre else - elephants, giraffes, orangutangs, bears, everything! and although it's around £15 to get in, you have to remember that it is a charity and has to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds feeding and maintaining the animals. it's amazing to see the animals in such good surroundings - the elephants have miles of land and a waterfall and stuff so it doesnt make you sad to look at them as they are so well looked after and take part in important breeeding programmes.

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Ipswich
• Category: Shops

Ipswich IP1 1DT

robynf said
buttery
the buttermarket is one of two shopping centres in ipswich town centre. it has loads of different clothes shops, food shops, restaurants and all that kind of stuff. it's handy because it has loads of stuff all in one place and also a roof over it so it's perfect if you want to go shopping when its raining! it has parking underneath too which is very imporatant in ipwich because it can be quite hard to find parking in the town. think it might be quite expensive but ive never actually parked there so i dont know for sure. worth visiting though if youre doing a big shopping trip!

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Ipswich
• Category: Shops

Ipswich IP1 3JR

robynf said
purple
the name is a bit of a hint with this one - if you want to find the purple shop, then look for the shops thats painted purple! it's opposite one of the bus stations near the park in ipswich if that helps. it's a new age hippie type shop that sells ornaments, clothes, brightly coloured hair dyes, jewellery and of course incence and all the other things you might expect. windchimes, oh yes how could i forget! they are very friendly in here and the shop is well known by everyone in the area. it's independent not a chain shop so they deserve all the praise they get! famous amongst all generations in ipswich

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Restaurants

Colchester CO1 1NH

robynf said
wicked
this is such a good place to eat if you're in a big group of people like friends or a work function. everybodys happy cos there is so much food too choose from, and buffet prices also include dessert buffet which is not always the way with chinese. the food is really good and the inside is cool looking - blue lights and stuff - and i like coming here. the toilets are up some stairs though so try not to get drunk here, although it isn't a bar. cheaper at lunchtime because it's all you can eat so its pricier at dinner times, but i would recommend this place to anyone wanting a chinese and not sure where to go.

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Events and Entertainment

Colchester CO1 1PT
01206 573948

robynf said
great
The Mercury theatre is quite a big theatre in colchester, where they have a vast range of performances with something to please everyone. as a kid i came here with family to watch their xmas pantos, which although formulaic - what pantos arent?- are actually quite good. they also do serious drama and usually show all the major plays on tour, as well as smaller and local productions. they often have music performances and comedy stand up, and they have had the shakespeare abridged people there quite a few times as well as other funny spoof plays. good prices for matinees and worth visiting if you want a classy night out in colchester.

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Shops

Colchester CO2 7DB

robynf said
cosmic
Cosmic tattoo is a tattoo parlour near Bubba G (the goth/grunge clothes shop) past wilkinsons in colchester. it's a lot friendler than some tattoo places which often have the tendency to be elitist and only friendly towards you if you can't see your face for ink. but they are nice and down to earth in here, and have lots of cool work to look at on the walls and also some interesting newspaper cuttings and info on tattoos. they are professional and clean and quite reasonable as far as cost goes too. i definitely recommend this for anyone getting a tattoo in colchester.

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Events and Entertainment

Colchester CO1 1NH
0871 224 4007

robynf said
odeon
This odeon is a pretty good one because it was moved from several streets away about 6 or 7 years ago, so it has all been rebuilt and is very modern. it's massive too and they have escalators to the upstairs floors. There's a cool ice cream parlour where you can get tasty ben and jerrys and sit around while you wait for your film. they also have a big shop section where you can buy insanely overpriced pic n mix which has had children's dirty fingers rummaging through. So don't bother with that! The staff in all odeon cinemas are generally teenagers who think they are super-cool, so don't expect the most amazing customer service, but they are generally nice enough.

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Hotels and Travel

Colchester CO1 1TD
01206 578494

robynf said
the george
the george is a massive hotel on colchester high street. it's quite nice inside and is obviously the best place you could have a hotel in colchester because it's so near to all the shops, restaurants and attractions. Because it's quite grand, you might even see a celebrity here because it is where all the stars are put up when they visit to have a part in a play at the mercury theatre. I saw beppe from eastenders in there once! er, whilst he was still famous... I've only been there to eat, on work do's, but i hear it is very nice staying there as well. the food is good and it's fairly posh, but is not really a young persons hang out and is ofen full of old men. nice though.

• Added: 27th of August 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Arts and Culture

Colchester CO1 1YG
01206 282937

robynf said
castle
Right, anyone who grew up or went to school within a 20 mile radius of colchester will have been to the castle about 500 times, because it is one of those 'must see' things. it's the biggest roman castle in the country because it is built on norman foundations - or is it the other way round...? It's pretty massive anyhow and it's an important momument because colchester was the roman capital, and is the oldest recorded town in the country. It's a good visit for kids as they have armour to try on and brass rubbings to do, and it's in the middle of castle park which is massive and very pretty. definitely worth a visit - but maybe not 500!