The Harlequin was built as part of a shopping precinct, all of which has since been demolished to make way for a larger supermarket. The pub was the unfortunate scene of a murder in 2000 when a barmaid working at the pub was killed during a robbery.

According to the Ipswich licensing records, the pub's license was granted on February 2nd 1970.

Reported in Last Orders in Jan 1981 as offering Castle bitter (Norwich brewery).