What is the first thought that springs to mind when you hear the name 
Ipswich?
I went to a CIPR crisis management event there last night and naturally the prostitutes murders and recent bird flu outbreak were highlighted. Concern was expressed by some PR practitioners that the reputation of Ipswich might have suffered as a result, that new businesses might be deterred from moving to the town, and that they should form a sub-group to promote the town’s positive aspects.
I personally do not think any the worse of Ipswich, I find it to be attractive and thriving and love its marina, but wondered how you regarded the town, does the name conjure up negative images, do the tragic deaths deter you from wanting to visit or move there? Does a town have a problem with its image after suffering a major tragedy like this?
Mention Hungerford, Dunblane, Soham Enniskillen or Aberfan and my thoughts unfortunately do go straight away to the terrible events that have happened there. That doesn’t mean that I associate those acts with the rest of the community, where ordinary decent people will be going about their business. Mention Ipswich and my first thought is of Paul Mariner in shorts.
Not sure that’s helpful but that last bit is a nice thought for early in the morning. 🙂
First thing I thought about when Ipswich was mensioned, was a walk I have been told about that goes from stowmarket to Ipswich… just typical of me i suppose 🙂
Writing this in Liverpool, there is no doubt that tragedy can affect a city’s psyche. In Liverpool’s case, the tragedies at Heysel and Hillsborough took place outside the city. But even so, I don’t think the events damaged inward investment into the city. Instead, there may be a case (and I don’t know the answer) to suggest that Liverpool’s reputation suffered as a result of its reaction to the tragedy.
Therein lies the rub, I suspect.
Firstly, I don’t perceive Ipswich to be synonymous with tragedy in the way that the places Linda mentions are, though it has undoubtedly suffered. Its reputation, however, depends upon the actions of its people in dealing with that/those tragedy/ies.
The other point I’d make is that, Linda’s examples tend to be smaller places, and consequently largely unknown to most people before their respective tragedies. I think what they have experienced is wholly different to Ipswich and I would be interested to know what their experiences have been over the years.
Yes I defintely agree about the effect on a smaller community. Even now if I hear the name of Newark in Notts, a place I haven’t even been, I think of a railway shed and Michael Sams which is terrible and no doubt ridiculous.
I worked for the Conservative Party during the Ipswich by-election. That’s always what I’ll think of when I hear the town name….
And the hotel that couldn’t serve beans on toast for breakfast, but could serve a plate of beans and a rack of toast.
I don’t wish to detract from the serious contributions here. My association with Ipswich is a funny childhood memory. Do you remember that wonderful Saturday programme with Brian Cant called Playaway ?
They were playing this geography guessing game with the kids in audience. Brian Cant was standing with a light switch on his hip pointing to it, he said:
“I am a switch, I am a switch, what kind of switch am I ?”
The answer, of course, should’ve been “Ipswitch !” (hipswitch). Unfortunately there was a little Johnny in the audience who shouted out:
“Arsenal !”
I think of the 1978 FA Cup Final, which is the only one I have ever attended. Ipswich Town vs Arsenal. Ipswich won.
Neither club meant anything to me, but I had a great-uncle who, as a director of a League Club up North, could get tickets. So my father and I went. To be honest, I remember more about the 1960’s Bentley Continental in which we were driven to the match (by another great-uncle) than I do about the game itself.
I do remember being moved by “Abide with Me”, however, and being vaguely pleased that the underdog won. I also remember driving home like a bat out of hell up the M1 in my father’s Triumph 2500 and being pleased that he seemed relaxed to be driven by a young me at high speed. From him, that counted as a compliment.
On the way, at about 110mph somewhere near Milton Keynes, he apologised about being hostile to my then fiancee, and admitted that she (now my wife) was a suitable choice. That made my day.
See? Nothing about serial killers. Bad things happen everywhere. They needn’t affect anyone’s perception of a place. The Blair years have made us all far too sensitive to “image” and “positioning”.
Apart from political wonks, most of us have memories, impressions and perceptions based mainly on our own direct experiences. We are not as susceptible to having them manipulated, for good or ill, as politicians (and PR people!) might think.
If anything, the kind and dignified response of the people of Ipswich to the recent horror in their midst was impressive. I think that’s what – in the end – was added to my permanent impressions of the place.
BTW, I HackFlack’s tentative impression is right that Liverpool (a place of which I personally have very positive memories) has gone down in peoples’ estimation because of its self-pitying, whingeing, victim-mentality response to various tragedies, major or minor.
Scousers (and I have scouse in my bloodline) are still big on humour (of a rather nasty kind) but not now very big on dignity. My Liverpudlian great-grandmother had more dignity than the entire current population of the city.
A few days ago I introduced one friend to another (who lives in south Suffolk). The former rather rudely said to she-from-Suffolk:
“Not from near the tarts or the turkies, I hope?”
But, as others have said, Ipswich is probably a little too large to be defined by recent events for too long. Still, it’s no bad thing to consider a PR campaign to offset this.
I agree with the remarks about Liverpool, btw. I have known many great people from Liverpool _ but, tellingly I think, none actually lived there now _ nor would they ever dream of going back there to live. It’s sad that what once must have been a brash, go-getting, wealth-creating sort of place has slid into this slough of despond and self-pity. The Beatles and LFC are the 2 worst things that ever happened to Liverpool _ its inhabitants seem content to live thru these and endless buckets of taxpayers’ and lottery cash. Discuss!
I was also at Wembley in 1978. You should have waved Tom!
I live close to Soham and my son goes to school there and although those horrific murders put the town on the world’s map, it is pretty much life as normal now. It is a close and supportive community.
I have always wanted to go visit Liverpool, I have never been, I think I would have liked Tom’s great grandmother.
Dave, I also think it is a shame that the city’s celebs leave their roots once they become famous, maybe that’s true of most stars.
I went to Ipswich on Sunday, didn’t like it.
C.U. I wonder why you felt that, and if you would feel differently on a week day.
Ellee said “C.U. I wonder why you felt that, and if you would feel differently on a week day.” The quintessential Ellee remark! _ if you are not already, you would make a great counsellor/ therapist: you are always calm, never get riled, facilitate and never direct… This could be another string to your bow, Ellie!
David, I always believe in second chances and keeping an open mind. However, I do have a very attractive PR friend who lives in Ipswich, maybe she could show CU the sights and see if he changes his mind.
I think of Ipswich as the town we used to pass through quite regularly on trips between Norwich and London. A monster in the midst does nothing to destroy a community’s reputation for me.
Ian
David, btw, if you read comment 18 on this link, you will see I do indeed get riled and very direct, particularly when faced with an anonymous coward. If these people have something to say, they should let us see their real face, fortunately it is an extremely rare occurance:
https://elleeseymour.com/2007/02/20/i-have-been-included-on-miliband-blogroll-too/
Sorry to be a philistine but it doesn’t conjure up any images for me.
I think James is spot on regarding Ipswich and many other places – unless you have a personal connection, they often mean nothing to you.
My friend Andy Green talks about “brand icons” and how these are needed to conjure up images, particularly of places. When we think of New York, Paris, etc – lots of images, words, associations come to mind.
But Ipswich wasn’t really associated with much before this past 6 months – and I don’t think either the murders or the birdflu are strong enough icons for their linkage to linger either.
Andy’s idea is that those responsible for promoting somewhere like Ipswich need to identify and promote their distinctive icons. Ipswich Town football club could be one thing to build upon. There are some other associations on the wikipedia entry that are interesting too – although that too has a large focus on the recent murders.
As I live in Birmingham, I always see Ipswich as ‘out of the way’. Unless I was visiting there, I wouldn’t pass it. I was unaware it was the home of so many negative things.
Jean-Luc, Damn.
You’re first line is WORD FOR WORD what I was going to say. Are you Blues or Villa? (Think carefully)
Ellee, I’m getting dangerously addicted to your blog. I’m even commenting when I have nothing to say, like this one.
What’s worse, I’ve even developed a bad habit of checking what posts you and a couple of others have put out when I’m supposed to be working.
Good job I’m going away this weekend,
I used to live in Bury St Edmunds years ago and Ipswich was a town you passed by or drove through, without stopping. I did stop once, and I never went back. Don’t know if it has changed at all over the years, so saying the name Ipswich just makes me think of “don’t go” and that is nothing to do with the recent unfortunate events.
Joe, I’m an addict too, it’s a pretty sad state of affairs. You always have something to say, btw. Have a good weekend too. One reason I don’t want to buy a Blackberry is because I want to be unable to check blogs when I am away weekends or out for the evening, otherwise I will be fidgeting with it constantly, even if I’m on a 15-mile hike with the Ramblers.
It’s not so good when your screen freezes just as you were trying to minimise ‘Miss Smack’ so as to open the document you are on the phone to a client about. Especially when your frustrated clicks make it worse. And then I start banging the mouse on the desk. And now I’m running out of conversation fillers to keep said client off topic because I have no way at this point of finding out what it his business actually is.
David has already told me I am not to ask anybody if I can’use your PC for a minute’ at any parties we might go to this weekend. He’s probably right.
Joe, Don’t worry, I’m sure Ms Smack understands! You must most definitely enjoy a computer free party this weekend. Certainly 22 was too young to “settle down”. I hope you do retain some optimisim about future relationships.
Ellee, I keep relationships far simpler now. I lost the desire to settle down, it’s not really for me. I’m not very good at long term relationships.
There is someone I know who I would settle down with, but she’s kind of unique. She knows’s the offer’s there. In the meantime, I amuse myself elsewhere while she thinks.
Sometimes- most of the time- I hope she never takes me up on it, it would be a bitter blow, but it might put me on the straight and narrow…
Ipswich-doesn’t do anything for me, but never has! Not sure this attitude would be improved by a marketing campaign though…
I used to know Ipswich very well. It used to be a sort of sleepy mediocre county town with a cattle market and a courthouse. Now much expanded it seems to be populated almost exclusively by hairdressers, estate agents and insurance administrators – a veritable Golgafrincham B-Ark of a town. Take every identiclone High Street retailer, coffee shop and food outlet and that’s Ipswich. And what’s more, that’s the way they want it.
The cry from the town could well be ‘We’re boring and we don’t care.’
Oh, I expect the local tourist office and Chamber of Commerce sort of feel obliged to go through the motions of promoting Ipswich’s unique selling points but you can tell their hearts aren’t in it when the best they can come up with is
‘Come to Ipswich! It’s a nice, average sort of place in a one A-level, trousers by Next sort of way!’
Until the murders, few of the inhabitants of the town even realised they had a red-light district. I expect it made a few of them feel quite important and cosmopolitan.
Ipswich conjures up for me the amazing black glass panelled insurance company headquarters as you come in and the docks, but otherwise it has lost its way a little, in the last twenty years.
Hands full, That tragedy touched the whole world.
Hello
Bye
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