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MESSUMS EAST IN LOWESTOFT!

MESSUMS EAST IN LOWESTOFT!

Celebrations took place in Lowestoft this week to mark a significant milestone in transforming the former Post Office into a major arts venue in the east. 

Representatives from East Suffolk Council and its partners took part in a steelwork signing ceremony at the site on London Road North (on Wednesday 15 October) following the first phase of steelwork being installed which will form the new ground floor creative studio and café. 

 Owned by East Suffolk Council, the building is being brought back into use, thanks to funding secured from the Towns Fund, Arts Council England, and Messums Org, with the aim of creating new cultural opportunities for residents and visitors and supporting the growth of Lowestoft’s creative economy. 

 Planned to open in late spring 2026, the 1,500 square metre site, including the Grade II listed former Post Office and surrounding buildings, are being transformed into a vibrant visual arts and cultural venue. Designed by Norwich-based architects Chaplin Farrant, the redeveloped space will open as Messums East, offering gallery and exhibition areas, short-stay accommodation for visiting creatives, a café, and a dedicated artist’s studio for internationally renowned sculptor Laurence Edwards. 

Leader of East Suffolk Council, Cllr Caroline Topping, described it as a “milestone in restoring this iconic building and regenerating it into a creative hub for Lowestoft.”
Barnes Construction started internal restoration, and redevelopment of the Grade II listed building in March 2025. Work currently being undertaken includes foundations for the lift and stairs, structural repairs, roof works, uncovering and cleaning glazed bricks as well as reconfiguring the buildings to accommodate their new layout and uses.  

 Alongside construction, Barnes has been working with groups including Lowestoft Men’s Shed, Access Community Trust, Friends of Fen Park, and Lofty Heights, as well as East Coast College and local schools, to offer training and skills development and activities for people living locally to get involved in. 

 Cllr Topping says, “This project is about more than bricks and mortar – it’s vital that our regeneration contracts deliver additional benefits for local communities and young people.” 

A welcome boost for Ipswich's heritage

A welcome boost for Ipswich's heritage