Ipswich is the administrative and county town of Suffolk with a residentpopulation of 130,000 and a retail catchment population of approximately300,000. The town lies on the River Orwell, approximately 70 miles north east of central London, 55 miles south east of Cambridge, 43 miles south of Norwich, and 18 miles north east of Colchester. Major roads in the area include the A12, which provides dual carriageway access to the A14, providing a principal link from the Port of Felixstowe (9 miles to the south east) to the East Midlands.