Cheers to Greene King in supporting Christmas in Bury St Edmunds
Christmas in Bury St Edmunds has officially begun and festive visitors have even more choice on where to park at weekends thanks to Greene King.
The festive lights switch on organised by Our Bury St Edmunds yesterday (Thursday, November 17) marks the start of host of Christmas activities in the town designed to bring festive cheer to local communities and boost the tills of shops, restaurants, cafes and other town centre businesses this time of year.
To support this Greene King is making 200 spaces at its car park off Cullum Road available for parking every weekend from November 26 and 27 through to and including Christmas Eve. The car park which will be open from 8am to 5pm is approximately 10 to 15 minutes’ walk from the town centre.
Jo Kreckler, director of corporate affairs and external communications at Greene King, said: “We’re really pleased to once again offer our car park at no cost to our local community and those visiting the town during the weekends leading up to Christmas. We hope that by making more parking available, it will encourage more people to come to Bury and support local businesses and our high street.”
Town centre visitors can also park and walk from West Suffolk Council’s car park in Olding Road. The car park, which is 10 to 15 minutes’ walk from the town centre, is available every weekend throughout the year and provides another 300 spaces.
Both the Olding Road and Greene King car parks are available in addition to the town centre car parks to ensure there’s enough spaces in place to meet demand during the weekends up to Christmas, when the town is at its busiest. There’s no charge to use the park and walk car parks.
And there’s plenty to enjoy in the town centre in the run up to Christmas including:
- A St Edmund’s Day weekend spectacular light show from November 17 to 20, as part of the celebrations for the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of the Abbey of St Edmund;
- A Christmas market at St Edmundsbury Cathedral from Thursday to Saturday, November 24 to 26;
- A Christmas market in the Arc Shopping Centre from Thursday to Thursday, November 24, until December 22;
- A gift fair at The Apex from Friday to Sunday, November 25 to 27;
- A Dickensian themed market on Saturday, November 26;
- A Winter Beer Festival at the Constitutional Club from Friday to Sunday, November 25 to 27;
- An Eco Conscious Christmas and Street market on Sunday, November 27;
- Where’s Santa – a 20-minute performance for children aged two to seven in the Theatre Royal Christmas Cabin in the Arc Shopping Centre, from Saturday to Saturday, December 3 to 24;
- A Maker’s Market on Sunday, December 4 (10am to 4pm);
- A Farmers Market on Sunday, December 11 (10am to 3pm);
- The Legend of Robin Hood pantomime at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Friday to Saturday, November 25 to January 14;
- A Christmas escape room open daily at the Evidence Room, in Risbygate Street.
More details on these and other activities in the local area can be found at https://www.visit-burystedmunds.co.uk/christmas-in-bury-st-edmunds-beyond
Susan Glossop, cabinet member for Growth at West Suffolk Council, said: “Bury St Edmunds is a wonderful place throughout the year, but it is particularly magical at Christmas and there’s lots of festive, fun for people of all ages to enjoy. Like last year this Christmas in Bury St Edmunds has been created by several partners to deliver events over several days in the run up to Christmas for our communities and businesses.
“We are delighted to have the support of one of the town’s biggest employers, Greene King, at what is such an important time of year for so many of our town centre businesses, ensuring there’s enough spaces in place to help us meet demand when the town is at its busiest.”
For more on town centre parking in Bury St Edmunds visit https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/parking/car_parks/bse_car_parks/