Month: December 2025

Free ice-skating returned to Bury St Edmunds town centre today (December 23) thanks to funding from Bury St Edmunds Town Council.

The free to use synthetic skating rink in Charter Square at the arc Shopping Centre has been organised by Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District (BID).  It will be open every day except Christmas Day until January 5th from 11am to 5pm. Christmas Eve 10am-4pm.

Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds BID Mark Cordell said: “The synthetic ice rink we had here in 2023 was very popular, so we wanted to replicate this attraction this year. Thanks to the generosity of the Town Council we have been able to do so but with an even bigger rink this time which has a maximum capacity of 40 people.

“There have been many attractions in the town centre up to now, to encourage people to visit and the ice rink continues this trend into the New Year. As a consequence of the Town Council funding, use of the rink is free and there is no need to book just turn up and enjoy the facility!”

The rink is part of ‘Christmas In Bury St Edmunds’ which has seen 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 partners and put £50,000 into town centre Christmas activities in 2025.

Bury St Edmunds Mayor Councillor Donna Higgins said: “Ice skating at Christmas just seems right. With this activity lasting through that awkward, “what now?” time before school starts again, this continues our determination to help our families at a time when there are so many demands on the family budget. My thanks to the arc Shopping Centre for donating the space and to the BID for doing the organising on our behalf.”

Manager of arc Shopping Centre Allan Hassell commented: “We’re delighted to host the ice rink again this year and can’t wait to see everyone enjoying this fantastic attraction over the Christmas and the New Year period!

“Huge thanks to the Town Council for funding the ice rink and the BID for arranging it with us. The ice rink will be free for all to use, and we would love it if visitors are able to donate to Still Good Food, which is arc’s Charity of the Year, as they do marvellous work for the local community all year round.”

For information about other Christmas activities in the town will be available at www.christmasinburystedmunds.com

Boxing Day has traditionally been a day for shopping so for many BID members it will be back to business as usual from today.  If you are in town don’t forget that our synthetic skating rink re-opens today at arc Shopping Centre until January 5^th.  Thanks to the support of Bury St Edmunds Town Council it’s completely free.  We hope it will be as popular as the free fairground rides in the Abbey Gardens were in the run up to Christmas – also thanks to support from the town and district councils. 

At this time of year, it’s especially important to make sure the town looks festive and welcoming during these shorter daylight hours.  Last month’s Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights Event was the start of the additional activities to enhance a visit to the town centre.  As well as our lights and Christmas trees, the businesses here really work hard on their own decorations and shop windows, with many competing for the Our Bury St Edmunds shield for the best dressed Christmas window.  This year we saw one of the town’s established retailers, Javelin, take the title.  The winner is chosen by a public vote and Javelin have participated for many years with past wins and runner-up awards to their name.  Congratulations also to the two runners up who are newcomers to the competition – The Flower Hut and Bonded by Hair.

It’s been good to see the town centre remaining vibrant during 2025.  Our vacancy rate is around five per cent, which is the lowest I have known it.  And new businesses have continued to invest in Bury St Edmunds throughout the year.  Adnams has now moved into its new premises at the old Post Office development and Trespass is in Adnams’ former shop.  Taco Bell has been recruiting for its new restaurant near Cineworld.  Meanwhile we are also expecting annual footfall levels in the town centre to be similar to last year, which in the current climate is good news.

Of course, this year has also seen its challenges and last month’s budget with the increase in the minimum wage, will again bring increased operating costs to our member businesses.  The hospitality sector is – I’m sure – bracing itself for changes that will take effect from April including significant changes to business rates.  The industry group UK Hospitality has calculated that in real terms the average pub’s business rates will increase 15% after all the changes have been taken into account. The changes to business rates will also impact on other areas of the town centre.

Heading into 2026 the BID and partners will continue to support member businesses in areas such as free training, lobbying politicians, organising events to bring more people into the town and marketing Bury St Edmunds as a visitor destination for shopping, dining and cultural activities.

As we enter the final week of 2025 I wish you a happy and successful New Year. 

Customers at one of Bury St Edmunds’ longest-established independent fashion retailers have voted its shop window the best decorated for Christmas.  Javelin on Abbeygate Street has been declared the winner in the annual competition out of more than 40 shops, cafes and other businesses who took part. 

The winning display features an oversized bow and four Christmas trees all created with vintage textiles from bags, jumpers, scarves and even a sofa.  The store’s aim was to create a Christmas fashion theme layered in the same way as styling an outfit.  Trimmings and accessories added personality and fashion-led detail to each tree.  

Javelin has won the competition twice previously as well as being a runner up in the past. It will now hold the Our Bury St Edmunds Shield presented by the Business Improvement District (BID) organisation for the next 12 months.

Presenting the shield to the team at Javelin, Mark Cordell, Chief Executive at Our Bury St Edmunds BID, said: “The standard of window decoration this year was as high as ever and I congratulate Javelin for winning the most votes for their stunning display.  Congratulations also to our runners up, who were both taking part in the competition for the first time, Bonded by Hair who have a beautiful arch over their doorway as their centrepiece and The Flower Hut.

“The town centre looks fabulous at this time of year with our Christmas lights, the trees and all our shops and businesses having gone to so much effort with their displays.  With our free skating rink opening in arc shopping centre next week too, the town really couldn’t be more festive.”

Lucy Payne, Store Manager at Javelin, added: “Local interior design studio House of Bo and the Javelin team did an amazing job with this year’s window display, which means a lot to us as it was created using reworked items and materials with sustainability in mind. This display has been a true labour of love — and we hope it makes you smile and brings a little festive magic to your day!

“We’re really grateful to everyone who took the time to vote for us. We take this competition seriously, so it’s fantastic to see Javelin’s name on the shield once again.”

All those who voted in the competition had the chance to enter a draw with a prize of a hamper of local produce.  The winner was Jayne K.

Voting is underway in this year’s Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Window Competition with the chance for all who vote to win a fabulous festive hamper. This year more than 40 town centre businesses are competing for the prestigious Our Bury St Edmunds Shield presented by the Business Improvement District (BID) organisation.

The free to enter competition is available on the Our Bury St Edmunds website where voting remains open until Sunday December 14. Some of the town centre’s regular participants such as Baileys2, Javelin and Loft & Spires are joined by newcomers including Sugartown Toys and The Flower Hut who are in the competition for the first time.

Mark Cordell, Chief Executive at Our Bury St Edmunds BID, said: ““There are some absolutely fabulous Christmas windows this year making the town centre look so festive. The businesses have been very creative and I’m glad I haven’t got the job of choosing which are the best ones! If visitors to the town centre have a favourite, then I do hope that they will register their vote by visiting our website. It’s wonderful to see the result of all the hard work from all these businesses, which hugely contributes to the overall Christmassy feeling in town, complimenting the two Christmas trees and street decorations that the BID organises.”

Last year the beauty and make up salon Edit Clinic in Risbygate Street took the title for a second year running. A full list of participants and further information on how to vote is available by visiting www.ourburystedmunds.com.