Before mobile phones took over our pockets and our attention, people in Ipswich had to find other ways to fill their free time.
Nights out meant heading to the First Floor Club, evenings might be spent watching the dogs race, and sunny days often led to the town’s parks and staying out until dusk called you home.
Here’s a look back at how those living in Ipswich made memories and passed the time before mobiles changed everything.
Watch the dog racing
Opening in 1935, the Ipswich dog racing track just off London Road was the place to be.
The stadium would go from strength to strength and eventually gain official status with the National Greyhound Racing Club.
Despite the sport booming in the 1980s, the track closed in early 1988.
READ MORE: Ipswich Waterfront before modernisation in archive photos
Go to The Gaumont
The Gaumont hosted all kinds of acts, including Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The theatre put on many chart-topping artists, including the Bay City Rollers, David Essex and The Stranglers.
Before phones and on-demand music, seeing your favourite band in magazines, Top of the Pops or at a live event was the only way.
Attend the First-Floor Club
From the mid-1960s, the First Floor Club was the hotspot for nightlife in Ipswich.
The venue in Tacket Street opened in 1966 and would put on live music, top comedians, including Ronnie Corbett, and dinner parties.
READ MORE: When the First Floor Club was the place to be seen in Ipswich
The club was open seven days a week and would often have customers queuing on the stairway leading to the club, keen to get in.
When Ken Bean sold the club, it became Fire and Ice, which ran until 2010, when it closed.
Spend the day at Broomhill Lido
The Grade II listed pool opened in 1938, attracting hundreds through the summer months until its closure in 2002.
Based in Sherrington Road, it is East Anglia’s last surviving 50m outdoor pool.
Plans to restore the pool were approved in December 2024 for a second time, and Mark Ling, chair of the Broomhill Pool Trust, said that work must begin on the site before December 2027, otherwise plans would "unravel".
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Go to the Manor Ballroom
The Manor Ballroom has been the home of a myriad of events over the years.
From hosting private functions and events to being the backdrop for some big bands, including Shotgun Express.
Before phones, the Manor Ballroom was a great place to kill time and have a bit of fun.
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