Hank’s Deli is latest addition to Ipswich’s growing vegan offering

Hank's Deli is opening in Lloyd's Avenue in Ipswich. Picture: HANK'S DELI Archant

A new deli specialising in vegan food will open in Ipswich next month – adding to the rising numbers of plant-based restaurants.

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Hullabaloo has opened its new cafe in St Peter's Street in Ipswich Town Centre. Picture: ARCHANT Hullabaloo has opened its new cafe in St Peter's Street in Ipswich Town Centre. Picture: ARCHANT

Hank's Deli is the latest venture for Geoff Bligh and Phil Rivers, who have been successfully selling frozen vegan ready meals and treats online, alongside hosting pop-up vegan supper clubs in Shotley.

The town's first 100% vegan deli and shop will open in a former cafe in Lloyds Avenue on Wednesday, July 10, selling lots of hard to find vegan ingredients.

Mr Bligh said: "So often you will go to a place and you're not entirely sure what you're getting is 100% vegan. We will have some kind of sign here saying something like 'yes it's all vegan, you don't have to worry!"

The opening of the deli comes just a few weeks after award-winning Hullabaloo moved to its new home in St Peter's Street, in the former Jenny Wren's Yarns shop.

Hank's Deli will open in Lloyd's Avenue in July 2019. Picture: GEOFFREY BLIGH Hank's Deli will open in Lloyd's Avenue in July 2019. Picture: GEOFFREY BLIGH

Mr Bligh says that the rise of vegan establishments is a great move for Ipswich.

"It's wonderful that more choice is coming to town. And even better that more totally vegan establishments feel it's now viable to totally embrace a vegan offering.

"The expansion of vegan food has been incredible in the past few years, but still that feeling to walk into a food place or shop and just know that everything is totally vegan and you don't have to ask is quite lovely."

It is also a new beginning for Museum Street Cafe - who are reopening as a workers co-op from a new central town location in a final bid to save the business from closure.

The Museum Street Cafe specialising in vegetarian and vegan food at its old location in Museum Street. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR The Museum Street Cafe specialising in vegetarian and vegan food at its old location in Museum Street. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR

The highly-respected hot-spot for vegans was forced to close last year after serving the people of Ipswich with hearty plant-based foods for more than nine years.

The workers co-op will be announcing their new location on Tuesday, July 2. In the meantime they have set up a justgiving page to help raise £600 to go towards admin fees and associated costs.

A spokesman for the workers co-op said: "We are super excited to be opening and joining Ipswich's expanding roster of exciting new businesses, like our friends at Hullabaloo and the New vegan deli opening on Lloyd's Avenue."

A full story ahead of Hank's Deli's opening will be published on our website in the run-up to its opening.