Ipswich is celebrating the popularity of its cheap-as-chips discount stores by renaming the main shopping thoroughfare as Pound Plaza.

Poundland, Poundworld, Poundshop, 99p shops and other discount retail outlets have taken over Ipswich town centre, proving just how far the it has come in its bid to be the worst shopping destination in East Anglia.

So many of the shops have sprung up that charity shops are giving up and moving elsewhere, while trendy pop-ups – popular in most other towns – never pop up.

Doreen Spraggins, head of Ipswich Town Centre Initiative explained: “We are very proud of the way we have totally ruined Ipswich. By charging more for 20 minutes parking than the price of most goods sold in any remaining shops, we have conclusively shown we have absolutely no idea of what we are doing.

“While places like Norwich, Colchester and Bury St Edmunds have attracted lovely big-name stores and many great independents, Ipswich now has an enviable amount of discount stores.

“Everyone loves a bargain, so we are delighted that the main shopping area will now be known as Pound Plaza, which has a splendid continental ring to it.”

But shoppers who spoke to the Suffolk Gazette are not so keen. Mavis McMuffin, 67, of Chantry said: “Towns like Ipswich should have grand stores like Harrods or Selfridges. No one wants all these cheap and cheerful bargain basement shops, although I do go there for all my toiletries.”