Month: March 2025

Now that the brighter weather has finally arrived and British Summer Time begins this weekend, I almost feel guilty mentioning Christmas. But, as you may have seen in the news recently, Our Bury St Edmunds BID is organising a free to use synthetic ice-rink at arc Shopping Centre this year for the school Christmas holidays. We are very grateful to Bury St Edmunds Town Council for funding this and a number of other activities that will form part of the Christmas In Bury St Edmunds Experience. We, and the partners we work with to generate these activities, hope this will encourage plenty of visitors to the town centre at this very important trading time for businesses.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, as there is so much going on in the town in the coming weeks. We are just days away from the launch of our trail to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. It involves businesses across the town displaying special commemorative items in their windows. Find all ten and you could be in with a chance of winning a prize. Entry forms are available from tourism points at The Apex and Cathedral, in the Bury Free Press next week and the ourburystedmunds.com website. We are very grateful to all those supporting this free fun activity for all the family – our history-themed trails have always been popular, but this is one of our best supported ever.

This weekend it’s Mothers’ Day so if you haven’t booked somewhere to celebrate on Sunday you don’t have much time. As the foodie capital of Suffolk we have plenty of choice here in Bury St Edmunds. Our hospitality establishments continue to be recognised nationally with recent success for Alex and Lisa Rotherham at Bay Tree Café who’ve had their Kedgeree featured in National Geographic Traveller Food magazine.

And if you are looking for a last-minute gift idea then why not pick up an Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card which will allow Mum to choose from more than 70 different businesses that accept it in the town centre. Visit ourburystedmunds.com to purchase it as an e-card or find out where you can pick up a card in town and load it with the amount you want to give straight away.

It’s pleasing to see new businesses opening in the town. Anagram Audio is moving into Churchgate Street offering all aspects of hi-fi equipment. And while they are finalising the shop premises you can browse all they offer online.

Finally, next week Our Bury St Edmunds BID officially starts its fourth term of serving the town centre and our 16th year of operating. We are here to support our business members and work with you so, as ever, if there is something that we can help with do please get in touch. If we can’t help directly, we can usually signpost to somewhere that can.

A family trail to commemorate the 80^th anniversary of VE Day launches in Bury St Edmunds town centre next month.  Visitors and residents will have to seek out 10 different objects that have a World War II theme – including a ration book and newspaper declaring VE day – in shop windows to be in with a chance of winning a prize.

The Bury Free Press has teamed up with Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District (BID) for the trail which will run from Monday April 7.  And there are still a few opportunities for BID member businesses to feature on the trail at no cost.

Trails which encourage visitors to engage with town centre businesses by finding all the elements in various shop windows have been a popular activity in the town for a number of years.  This year there are opportunities for more than 50 businesses to be involved – with the remaining spaces strictly on a first come first served basis.

Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds Mark Cordell said: “We’ve organised a variety of different trails over the years and the ones which have an historical theme have been among the most popular.  In drawing up a route we try to make sure that the entire town centre is covered so there will be a limited number of places for business participants in each street to ensure people are encouraged to visit as much of our town as possible.

“Families love taking part as it is something everyone can be involved in.  It’s an opportunity to get to different parts of the town and can be done over a number of days.  We often hear how people are surprised to find a shop or business they hadn’t realised was there as part of the fun of taking part.”

The entry form for the trail will be available from the Bury Free Press as well as the participating businesses.  Any business that would like to be part of the trail should contact the Our Bury St Edmunds BID office as soon as possible on 01284 766258.

Ice-skating will return to Bury St Edmunds town centre in December with the announcement of plans to install a free to use synthetic skating rink thanks to funding from Bury St Edmunds Town Council.

The attraction is being organised by Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District (BID) and will be located at arc Shopping Centre.  It’s expected to be in place for the duration of the school Christmas holidays.

Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds BID Mark Cordell said: “We had a synthetic ice-rink here in 2023 and it was a real highlight of the Christmas holiday period.  It gives people an additional reason to spend some time in the town centre and a free activity with family or friends.  

“This one will be even bigger – allowing around 40 people to skate at any one time.  I am very grateful to Bury St Edmunds Town Council which is making a significant increase in the funding it has given to Christmas activities in previous years – allowing us to make this the main attraction of the season.” 

The rink will be part of the Christmas In Bury St Edmunds Experience which will see a variety of events in the town centre from mid-November and through December arranged by a partnership of different organisations.

Bury St Edmunds Town Council is one of the Christmas in Bury St Edmunds Experience partners and has agreed to put £50,000 into town centre Christmas activities in 2025.   Bury St Edmunds Mayor Councillor Diane Hind said: “I had the honour of officially cutting the ribbon to open the rink in 2023 and seeing the first group of children skating.  They, and so many others throughout the weeks that followed, enjoyed it so much that we were very happy to support what will be a bigger and better project this year and provide an excellent free activity for residents and visitors.”

Manager of arc Shopping Centre Allan Hassell commented: “We were delighted to host the skating rink two years ago and it was wonderful to see people of all ages having such fun.  I was only too happy to offer the space for another one when I heard about the proposal from Our Bury St Edmunds BID.

“Having a synthetic rink here is the most environmentally friendly way to offer skating without the high energy use to keep the rink frozen.”  

Details of the exact dates and opening times of the skating rink as well as information about other Christmas activities in the town will be available at www.christmasinburystedmunds.com.