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Emperor, Ipswich

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293 Norwich Road, Ipswich, IP1 4BP (View on Google Map)

This Pub is Permanently Closed

In 2012 the Emperor was under threat of redevelopment. It eventually closed in April 2013 and has since been converted into a shop.

In 2012 a message from Ipswich & East Suffolk Camra Pubs officer Phil Hastie was released about how you could help save it. Tesco had told the Guardian, "We are taking on derelict or vandalised pubs, not those which are still actively trading, & for all sorts of reasons those pubs were not successful. We go into communities & ask people what they want & how we can deliver that." They have yet to explain how this applies in this case. Punch Taverns have decided to close the pub even earlier than intended, in April 2013. A nice slap in the face for the publican & customers. Real wood fire. Three large leather sofas & non-smoking since mid-2006. Real Ale is sometimes served on gravity. A Mild is always available (usually Ansells). Pub food available including some vegetarian options. Was built as a multi-roomed pub but now has a split level main bar with various drinking areas. Outside covered area for smokers. Steel Quoit beds & teams in back garden. Pool table, dart board, shove ha'penny in bar. Beer garden & seated patio area. As you are no doubt aware there has been a lot of speculation recently over the future of The Emperor. Hopefully this will provide you with the latest news & how we can all help to try & keep it open. The good news is that it will remain open until at least Christmas. However, it is still under threat of closure, be it from a developer or a supermarket. For those who are not aware, The Emperor has been in the community since 1843. It is a meeting place for groups (such as the Broomhill Pool Trust), is home to darts, part of pool & quiz leagues, & the ONLY Ipswich venue for Steel Quoits. It has a large area at the rear, suitable for families, plus also a function room available. Like a lot of local pubs it also holds charity & fundraising events. So what can we do to help to try & save this pub from closure? There are a few things that we can do: Email Punch at disposals@punchtaverns.com & let them know that you want a community pub. Also get your friends to do so. It has a Facebook page. It also has a website. You can email them on savetheemperor@virginmedia.com. Photographs of this pub and more up-to-date and detailed information about it can be found at suffolk.camra.org.uk/pub/468

Historic Interest

A report in the Ipswich Journal** on Jan-25 in 1896 when Harry Whitehead was the landlord states that : "Robert Mayhew landlord of the Maypole in Norwich Road was sued for '32 12s 6d for the damage caused when his unattended pony & trap ran into Arthur Davey's cab. Harry Whitehead landlord of the Emperor testified that Mayhew only spent 3 minutes in his pub, during which time the accident happened. Davey won the case." A potted history of the pub has been published by the "Save the Emperor" action group in 2012 & includes the following: "In 1823 the (former) Rose & Crown was located in St Matthew's Street. It was not until the late 1820's it became part of Norwich road, signalling the start of the development which led to the current Norwich road layout. In July 1843 John Trew opened a 'Beer House' in part of what is today's pub. He owned the land, buildings & the business. The first reference to it being called The Emperor, & classified as an Inn is not until 1855. John Trew remained the landlord until his death on 18th September 1865. His sole heir was his wife Elisa who continued to run the business until late 1870. The landlord then became James Farrow. Mrs Trew retained ownership but sold to James Farrow in early 1872. Today's Emperor stands on the site of what appears to have been 3 cottages. James Farrow seems to have bought the second of these at about the same time as he purchased the original business. In 1884 Herbert Gooch became the landlord although James Farrow still owned the property. He may then have lived in the cottage next door which seems to have been empty for some years. Herbert Gooch died in 1885 & his wife Annie, became the tenant. We can then trace every landlord since then."

Information for this venue is provided by the Ipswich & East Suffolk Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Ipswich District (B)
Last updated
01/07/2021
Last surveyed
04/01/2021
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
unknown
Pub ID
SUF/468
Asset of Community Value

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