It’s kind of difficult to miss the emergence of Ipswich’s newest artisan coffee house by day/bar after dark, and that’s not simply because of the big colourful paintings by the Cone Sisters that adorn the windows

The exposed wood flooring and background mash-up of jazz, funk, house and hip hop, ensures that you’re aware that this is a fresh and creative space for like-minded individuals to meet as soon as you walk in… Oh, and the coffee is pretty bloody good, too!

Pump & Grind appeals to an eclectic demographic. When visiting on a Saturday morning I saw: A stylish, middle-aged lady sipping on a coffee and watching the world go by in one corner; a Taylor Swift doppelgänger nursing a cold drink and reading her book in the other; and a small group of trendy looking young gents having a laugh at the bar.

There’s no pretension here, just a good vibe.

It’s easy to compare the decor of this place (such as the mis-matched cutlery and furniture) to establishments from East London or The Lanes in Brighton, but in reality, Pump & Grind is its own entity, and should be viewed as a really positive alternative to one of the plenty of chain coffee shops on the high street (yawn!)

It’s also a great drinking hole when the sun goes down for those people bored of dancing to Usher remixes circa 2001.

I had a quick word with Tom Kerridge (mastermind behind Ipswich’s Ramp Recordings record label) about his new project:

Pump and Grind is in its infancy right now having only had a permanent location for a number of months. What inspired you to set it up?
I’ve always felt Ipswich was lacking a cool place to hang out – if you go to Norwich, Colchester, Cambridge, there are so many relaxed bars playing wicked music, but everywhere in town just seems either really dated, grotty, aimed at a much older demographic, or trying to pour as much cheap booze down people’s necks as possible.

I wanted to bring something a bit more contemporary to the town, somewhere fun and unpretentious you can hang out for hours and listen to wicked tunes, drink good coffee or beer, and eat food that’s not been pulled out of a freezer.

What do you like most about living and working in Ipswich/Suffolk?
I was born in Ipswich, so it’s my home! I love the countryside, I love how the air smells, I love the people. It’s why the bright light of London never tempted me away for too long.

What would like to see more of in the local area?
More diversity, more creativity, more individuality, more effort, more people supporting small local businesses. More pride in our little town!

Do you have any upcoming events at Pump & Grind that you’re really excited about?
I’m excited about every day at Pump & Grind – where else in town can you enjoy an amazing local coffee or craft beer over Aphex Twin or Flying Lotus, or some obscure disco or hip hop track?! That’s still blowing my mind.

I’ve got a couple of pretty big DJs lined up to play. I’ll be announcing them soon, so keep an eye on our Twitter and Facebook for announcements. Currently I’m cementing bookings with a BBC Radio DJ, some big hitters in the DnB, house and hip hop scenes, and a pretty special dub and reggae DJ.

We have just started serving food too!

We have DJs playing every weekend, and some amazing promoters working with us on some upcoming events – highlights include UPROCK’s triumphant return to the town after a couple of years hiatus on October 3, and a P-Funk Halloween on 31 October!