Grafton House

It was the end of an era as Ipswich Borough Council moved its backroom staff to Grafton House, a rented office block in Russell Road, close to the railway station. Former HQ Civic Centre, which opened 35 years ago, is now closed - the victim of an estimated repair bill of £13 million. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Liz Harsant said: “Grafton House is excellent value for money - a lot cheaper than buying new accommodation or patching up Civic Centre. It is environmentally friendly and a good base for our backroom staff. Customers will still go to our Customer Services Centre at the Town Hall.”