Street Stories: A More Modern Side of Town

Bury St Edmunds continues to evolve, with newer spaces and more contemporary businesses sitting alongside its historic streets.

Across these areas, you’ll find a different pace and character, shaped by retail, leisure and social spaces that reflect how people spend time in the town today. Independent shops, cafés and local businesses help give each street its own identity, creating a more distinctive town centre experience.

Whether it’s shopping, meeting friends or spending an evening out, these streets show another side of Bury St Edmunds.

Welcome to part 3 of our Street Stories where we explore the streets of Bury St Edmunds, shining a spotlight on the independent businesses that make our town unique. 

Charter Square in The arc Shopping Centre serves as a stylish, central hub, combining popular high-street brands with lifestyle-focused shops in a bright, welcoming space. It has two independent businesses.

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Starlings Toys
Starlings Toys is an independent toy store in Bury St Edmunds known for its wide range of children’s toys, games and gifts, with a particularly popular LEGO ‘shop within a shop’ section. Family‑run and part of a long‑established business with roots going back over a century you can find them in Charter Square in The arc Shopping Centre.

Juice Bros
Juice Bros offers fast casual healthy food in a relaxed setting. Offering plant based organic bowls, smoothies, fresh made juices, breakfast and much more to eat in or take away. They can be found in Gosnold Street in The arc Shopping Centre.

Kings Road brings a more modern, lifestyle-focused feel to the town centre, with a mix of independent businesses spanning beauty, wellbeing, food and specialist services. Close to The arc Shopping Centre, it has developed into a destination where established local brands and newer ventures sit side by side, creating a contemporary and welcoming atmosphere that complements Bury St Edmunds’ historic heart.

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Gavin Ashley Hair
Gavin Ashley Hairdressing is a long-established independent salon, founded in 1978 and now located in stylish, spacious premises at 3 Kings Road Mews near the Arc Shopping Centre, with convenient nearby parking. Their experienced team offers a full range of cutting, colouring and styling services for ladies and gentlemen, including hair extensions, Kerastraight smoothing treatments, wedding and occasion hair, and uses professional products from L’Oréal, Aveda and Olaplex.

Ellisons Solicitors
Ellisons Solicitors offers legal advice and services in the following areas: UK Immigration, Family/Matrimonial, Wills, Trusts, Probate, Residential Conveyancing, Commercial Property, Charity Law and Company Commercial.

St Andrews Street South has a social, experience-led feel, with a mix of food, drink and activity-based venues that encourage people to stay and spend time.

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Nightjars
This lively venue combines food, drinks and regular entertainment, from karaoke and bingo to DJ nights. It offers a more energetic atmosphere, particularly in the evenings.

Shuffle Board Game Cafe
Built around a love of tabletop gaming, Shuffle Board Games Cafe offers a wide selection of games for both casual players and enthusiasts. Food, drinks and regular events create a space centred on socialising and shared experiences.

Vespers
Vespers Belgian Beer Bar is a unique independent bar in the heart of Bury St Edmunds, specialising in authentic Belgian and continental beers, with an impressive range of around 15 draught taps and over 50 bottled options. Set inside a characterful converted 18th-century stable across two floors, it offers everything from easy-drinking blondes to traditional Trappist ales and complex lambics, all served by knowledgeable staff in a relaxed, dog-friendly setting. Perfect for anything from a quick drink to a longer evening exploring world-class beers.

Further down in the direction of the Bus Station you can find a variety of independent businesses on St Andrews Street North.

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Amanda Janes
Established in Bury St Edmunds in 1991, Amanda Jane’s is a leading beauty and aesthetics clinic offering a wide range of advanced skincare, laser, anti-ageing, and cosmetic treatments using premium industry brands and technologies. With eight treatment rooms, experienced therapists, private parking, and a welcoming atmosphere, the clinic provides professional, personalised treatments designed to deliver outstanding results.

The Codfather
The Codfather is a popular fish and chip shop in the heart of Bury St Edmunds. Offering everything from the Nation’s favourite cod and chips to haddock and battered sausages, they sell something for every fish and chip lover.

Armstrongs Funeral Services
The independent funeral profession has a long and proud history of providing a personal, caring service to local communities.

Woolhall Street is a shorter stretch with a growing focus on food and drink, offering places that move easily from daytime visits into evening settings.

Canto
Canto is built around wood-fired sharing plates, made to be passed around the table. An open kitchen and the glow of our wood-fired oven greet you on arrival, with pizzas at the heart of the menu, alongside seasonal small plates and bold flatbreads made for sharing across the table. Dishes arrive as they’re ready, passed around, shared, and enjoyed together. Drop in during Golden Hour for a couple of plates and a drink, or settle in with friends for our wood-fired feasting menu and a bottle of wine. Their cocktail list is short, seasonal, and constantly evolving, with a mix of timeless classics and house creations that have earned their place on the menu. The wine list is built for drinking, not decoding: great bottles, strong by-the-glass pours, and the occasional flight for when you fancy trying something different.

From modern retail spaces to social venues and newer independents, these streets highlight a different side of Bury St Edmunds. Together, they reflect how the town continues to grow, offering spaces designed for how people shop, meet and spend time today.