COMMUNITY and family has always been at the heart of the Fat Cat's first ten years.

For a start the pub is run by a family, the Keatley's, more precisely mum Dawn, son James, and daughter Alexa.

They opened the Butt Road establishment after dad, John, opened up the Fat Cat in Ipswich back in 1996.

Dawn says: "James is the real reason we opened up here. He had been working with his dad and wanted to open up his own place. For me I was doing an architecture degree and I was looking for a project."

And boy was the former Royal a project.

"It really was quite dilapidated," she adds, "and structurally unsound, even leaning at an angle, so who knows what would have happened to it if we hadn't have come in.

"We got hold of it in the March and then opened it in the September, although on our opening night there was still loads to do. I remember so many workmen around the place and trying to hurry them along to get everything done."

Fortunately there will be no such distractions for this week's special celebrations to mark the pub's tenth anniversary.

Taking place on Thursday, September 15, from 7pm, the Fat Cat will be rolling back the prices to 2006 as well as serving up a special Birthday Buffet and laying on plenty of other surprises.

Dawn is hoping the whole community will pop in to mark the occasion and judging by the last ten years, she could be expecting quite a crowd.

That's because despite its location, literally on the outskirts of the main town centre, it continues to keep it's 'local' feel.

She says: "We may be a local suburbs pub but essentially we a pub for the community around here and that's the way our regulars like it.

"Many of them get involved with what goes on in the place which is why we are perhaps the only pub in town which not only has a regular cribbage night but also once a year a chutney competition and best pickled onion competition."

One of their other unique selling points is the ability to enjoy a pint and a takeaway, with staff providing menus for nearby eateries, as well as the plates, knives and forks when the food is delivered straight to their table.

But at the heart of the Fat Cat has been the beer, which is particularly popular with real ale fans because it is one of very few that serves it straight from the barrel.

James says: “I do think one of the things that really sets us apart from other places in the town is the fact we serve ale straight from the barrel. It means it is in its purest form because it has not gone through any pipes. A lot of real ale fans say it is the best way to drink it.”