Needham Market Limes
opening hours
- Mon-Sun: 1000-2300
listed building grade II*
Local licensing authority for Needham Market is Mid Suffolk
CAMRA Ipswich & East Suffolk branch.
last updated Nov 28th, 2025.
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Needham Market Limes
formerly Bull, Boule House
North East, 52.15493,1.05046
Cask Ale is understood not to be sold here.
99 High St, IP6 8DQ
grid reference TM 087 551
hotel, opened 1955
As of January 2026 cask ale may not always be available.
There are two bars and a separate restaurant within the Limes Hotel which also offers a wide variety of events including coffee and cake mornings, comedy nights and drag bingo (further details on its website).
Also available for private events [contact hotel directly]
Facilities
Accessible to disabled customers
Accommodation available
Beer garden or other outside drinking area
Bus stop nearby (see transport links for details)
Dogs welcome
Evening meals
Family friendly
Lunchtime meals (not just snacks)
Parking
Separate bar
Traditional pub games available
Railway station about 0.3 miles away (see transport links for details)
Gallery
Nearest railway station
Needham Market: 528 yards (482m)Other nearby Suffolk pubs
Three Tuns 0.09 mile
Swan 0.25 mile
Rampant Horse 0.25 mile
Lion 0.54 mileHistorical interest
Owner/operator: Elizabeth Hotels
Classic C15th timber-framed inn. Family orientated with a lively, informal bar purveying two good guest beers.
Beers: Adnams Bitter; Draught Bass; Greene King IPA; Tolly Cobbold IPA; guest beers (independents).CAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
The Limes was open by 1537 as the Bull, which was then owned by Robert Hill. It was subsequently owned by Thomas Sorrell (from 1545), Edward Utting (from 1553), John Wood (from 1556), Roger Bull (from 1607) and John Bull (from 1654). John Steward of the Ipswich Great White Horse owned the pub from 1711, Mary Stewart after 1726 and Susan Stewart from 1737.
The original name may have derived from John Bull who owned the pub in 1566, or from monastic seals, ie a reference to a lead seal attached to a papal edict…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(information from book "Needham Market Pubs" by Desmond and Shelagh Herring)
(*** historic newspaper information from Bob Mitchell)
