The cinema, which was built in the early 1990s, has been empty for 13 years but will now become a new place of worship for Hope Church, which is currently based in Fore Hamlet and has outgrown its premises.
As well as creating a facility to host its growing congregation with a large auditorium and rooms for kids work, Hope Church plans to create a community facility that will serve the town well all through the week, and a become a hub of activity.
Birketts advised on all legal matters and Keith Andrews, a Senior Associate in Birketts’ Commercial Property Team, led the transaction with support from Callum Ross.
Ian Little of Hope Church added: "We are grateful to Birketts for their support. Hope Church has been in Ipswich for over 25 years and we are aiming to make a full move from the Orwell Centre to the former Odeon cinema in September 2019. We’ve a vision to refurbish this building to create a superb centre for the church and a facility that will be a blessing to the town of Ipswich.”
Keith Andrews concluded: “This well-known building within Ipswich has been derelict for a number of years. I am delighted that we were able to support Hope Church in the first step of their ambitious vision.
Photo – left to right: Tom Scrivens (Hope Church), Keith Andrews (Birketts), Ian Little (Hope Church) and Callum Ross (Birketts).