Ipswich Star Pub of the Week is The Limeburners in Offton

This week, I took a trip down to The Limeburners pub in Offton, just a short drive from Ipswich, between the town and Needham Market.

I hadn't heard of the pub before, but on a lovely September Saturday evening, I made my way down to the pub to see what it had to offer.

There is a sizeable car park and a really lovely beer garden.

The beer garden (Image: Tom Cann)

There was plenty of seating outside and a children's play area featuring swings and a slide.

I walked in and was immediately greeted by Helen Thornby, the pub manager, who was working behind the bar while also entertaining the regulars at the pub.

I went for an Asahi, which cost £5.80, not a bad price at all for a more premium lager - I've certainly paid more for one before.

Helen, who has been manager at the pub for more than three years, then told me a little bit about the pub, stating that it had only just been taken over, at the start of July, by local businessman David Bates, who is putting investment into the pub.

A vintage piano in the pub (Image: Tom Cann)

The Limeburners Pub (Image: Tom Cann)

Currently, the outside of the pub is being painted and the internal kitchen is being refurbished so that they can start serving food once again.

There was a large area that was blocked off, which was the restaurant part of the pub, which will reopen when the kitchen is finished.

There was a great selection of drinks available. They have a range of Old Mout ciders on tap, drinks from local breweries and mainstream lagers.

Inside the pub with the pool table and the beer mat wall (Image: Tom Cann)

Reporter Tom Cann outside The Limeburners (Image: Tom Cann)

Inside, there is a pool table, dartboards with the pub having two teams, TVs, lots of seating and an entire wall made up of beer mats, always a great sight at a pub.

It felt very much like your local boozer. There were a lot of regulars there when I was there, all of whom were having a nice time, laughing and joking with one another and with Helen - something you only get at local, community pubs.

Time for a bit of history about the building and the pub.

The bar (Image: Tom Cann)

The pub is believed to have opened around 1850 and takes its name from the lime-burning industry that once operated nearby.

Opposite the building was a large chalk pit containing lime kilns, where chalk was heated to produce lime for agriculture and construction.

Evidence of this local industry survives in photographs and displays within the pub itself.

The beer garden (Image: Tom Cann)

Over the years, The Limeburners has evolved from a traditional village alehouse into a community-focused pub serving both locals and visitors.

It has retained its rural character while adding facilities such as a large garden and live music events.

An internal business brief from 2018 described the premises as being more than 200 years old, reflecting the long history of the site and its place in the local community.

The children's play area (Image: Tom Cann)

I really enjoy the pub of the week feature for three reasons.

One, it allows me to go to the pub for work (who doesn't want that), two, it highlights pubs at a time when so many are struggling across the country, and three, I get to experience pubs that I had never heard of in and around Ipswich and maybe find a hidden gem.

The Limeburners is one of those. I had a great time on my first visit to the pub, and will definitely be returning in the future.