The town was really busy today. Couldn't find a single free bench in the Abbey gardens upon which to sit and read my paper. Nice to see so many people enjoying the hot weather in such fine surroundings though.
Another Hatter Street business is closing this week - number 14, the organic sandwich bar at the Churchgate St end. It hasn't been open long. The young proprietors are selling off their jacket potato oven and other gear. Maybe it was too far from the main drag to get enough custom; certainly I couldn't fault their grub.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Street drinking
Why is it OK to drink alcohol whilst sitting outside a licensed cafe, but not OK if you are sitting on a public bench in the Butter Market? The council wants to change a local byelaw that would give police new powers to confiscate alcohol from people who are or seem about to, drink in the centre of town (in an area defined in the exisitng byelaw). At the moment the police can only ask people to stop drinking (and fine them if they disobey). Presumably the council want to get rid of the Woolworths drinking school.
The Bury Free Press published a letter this week from a reader who wrote:
"I am not a hardcore drinker even though I sit on the bench [outside Woolworths] . I, like many other people after a hard day's work, like to have a drink to unwind. As I live in a bedsit in the town centre, I look on that bench as my back garden. So please remember that not everybody is fortunate to have a back garden."
The Bury Free Press published a letter this week from a reader who wrote:
"I am not a hardcore drinker even though I sit on the bench [outside Woolworths] . I, like many other people after a hard day's work, like to have a drink to unwind. As I live in a bedsit in the town centre, I look on that bench as my back garden. So please remember that not everybody is fortunate to have a back garden."
Independent shop goes under
Disastrous news. Hatter Street's Brayebay is closing tomorrow. Probably the Buryblogger's favourite clothes shop. Apparently it hasn't been making much money for a while; the lease is up, so the owner is off (to do an Art degree and look for a part time job). She says business has been poor for most retailers recently.
Begonia carpet
Back from hols at lovely Lulworth Cove in Dorset to find the Abbey gardens resplendent with a 'begonia carpet' , complete with viewing gantry and £2.50 admission fee.
This strange thing was organised by the Lions Club of Stowmarket and District to celebrate its 25th birthday. The flowers came not from Stowmarket, but Belgium, by the way.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Moreton Hall Tesco
The Tesco mentioned in the previous post is the Express shop in Lawson Place, Moreton Hall. I should have noticed that. Presumably the big Tesco in town will be selling alcohol 24 hours. Don't know yet but will keep an eye on the situation.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
23 hour drinking in downtown Bury
Been looking at the licence applications for town centre pubs, clubs and off-licences. There's been so much talk in the media recently about '24 hour drinking' when the Licensing Act 2003 kicks in in November, but the reality for Bury appears a little more mundane. Of the premises applying for a variation to existing arrangements, and whose application is awaiting decision, most of the pubs are going for 11, 11.30 or midnight closing Monday to Thursday and Sunday, with 12.30 or 1am closing on Fridays and Saturdays. Some examples: The Dog and Partridge has applied for 11pm Mon-Thurs and Sun, and midnight on Fri/Sat - which seems pretty modest despite residents (in Hatter Street, bizarrely - not particularly near the D&P) complaining. The Mason's Arms has gone for 11.30 every night except midnight on Fri/Sat. Similarly, the Old Cannon Brewery application is for 11 on the quiet nights, and midnight on Fri/Sat.
The smallest pub in the world, or is it just in England, The Nutshell (pictured here during the day, when it's mostly frequented by abstemious tourists), has applied for midnight every night except Fri/Sat, when it wants to close at 1am. That'll please the eight punters crammed in there at the time then. The same hours have been requested by The Rose and Crown, The Fox, and The Tollgate. The Linden Tree is similar but they have asked to close a bit earlier on Fri/Sat, at 12.30. The Ipswich Arms has requested 11.30 most nights and 12.30 on Fri/Sat, and the King's Arms midnight every night.
The Grapes has the latest hours - 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Some pubs have already had their licences granted, and the council has removed details from the website. These include The Bushel, Benson Blakes and The Black Boy; don't know what they have been allowed.
What of the big, young-crowd pubs like the Queen's Head (below) and Ye Olde One Bull? They don't appear to have submitted applications to vary their hours yet. The Queens Head has applied for a conversion of its exiting licence (and hours), but according to the council's public register Ye Olde One Bull hasn't, which means it won't automatically be granted the same opening hours and conditions it enjoys now. It probably also means that, should they request vaired hours, their applications will recieve more scrutiny from interested parties - they've missed the 6th August deadline for automatic licence conversion, and hence the busiest period for council licensing officers and other authorities that review applications.
The smallest pub in the world, or is it just in England, The Nutshell (pictured here during the day, when it's mostly frequented by abstemious tourists), has applied for midnight every night except Fri/Sat, when it wants to close at 1am. That'll please the eight punters crammed in there at the time then. The same hours have been requested by The Rose and Crown, The Fox, and The Tollgate. The Linden Tree is similar but they have asked to close a bit earlier on Fri/Sat, at 12.30. The Ipswich Arms has requested 11.30 most nights and 12.30 on Fri/Sat, and the King's Arms midnight every night.
The Grapes has the latest hours - 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Some pubs have already had their licences granted, and the council has removed details from the website. These include The Bushel, Benson Blakes and The Black Boy; don't know what they have been allowed.
What of the big, young-crowd pubs like the Queen's Head (below) and Ye Olde One Bull? They don't appear to have submitted applications to vary their hours yet. The Queens Head has applied for a conversion of its exiting licence (and hours), but according to the council's public register Ye Olde One Bull hasn't, which means it won't automatically be granted the same opening hours and conditions it enjoys now. It probably also means that, should they request vaired hours, their applications will recieve more scrutiny from interested parties - they've missed the 6th August deadline for automatic licence conversion, and hence the busiest period for council licensing officers and other authorities that review applications.
The only nightclub whose application is viewable on the council website now is Bar3 in Risbygate, which has requested 2.30am closing Monday to Weds and Sunday, 4 am on Thursday and 5am on Friday and Saturday (ie on Saturday and Sunday mornings).
Tesco has requested 6am to midnight everyday. That means you'll be able to buy alcohol somewhere in town at the weekend at all times except 5am to 6am. What are the implications for violence, disorder, nuisance and health? Analysis to follow. Drink up now ladies and gentlemen.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Cinema news
Odeon Cinema, Hatter Street. Must get some photo-editing software.Good news from Hatter Street. According to rather cagey report in the Bury Free Press today, the Odeon won't be closing down when the new 1350 seater, nine-screen Cineworld multiplex opens in December in Parkway. An East Anglian company (with an intriguingly small web presence), Hollywood Cinemas, is said to be taking over when Odeon withdraw their franchise, or whatever it is. Hollywood Cinemas have cinemas already in Norwich, Fakenham, Dereham, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth. They also seem to sponsor Football in the Community's Bryan Gunn Goalkeeping School, which is a bit too Norwich if you ask me.
Still, according to the BFP, the new company will offer a mix of mainstream and arthouse films. Arthouse!? Is Bury ready for this? I'll be there, with my organic popcorn, can't wait.
Monday, August 08, 2005
West Suffolk Hospital
Reception duty, fairly quiet. Nobody complained about the state of the toilets tonight, a hot topic for the Bury Free Press (which costs 45p incidently). I did clear up a load of soggy paper towels left by the sinks though. Why do people do that? Why leave paper on the floor and all over the place? Mr Disgusted of Stowupland should moan about that before having a go at the hospital management.
Thought I might see the Samurai sword wielding nutter from Haverhill who got shot by the police (with a stun gun) and brought here last night. There was a guy with a police minder who came out for a smoke, but he looked pretty harmless to me. What is a man without his sword, eh?
One cheeky middle-aged chap came down from his ward for a fag outside dressed only in his surgical gown, the short flimsy thing that does up at the back with three bows. Gave the old ladies waiting in reception for their transport home something to smile about. Occassionally you see patients still attached to their gravity-fed intravenous drips, wheeling the pole carrying the drip bag (don't know technical term) beside them, out the front door and into the fresh air so they can smoke.
Trickiest query tonight: where can I get a pump for my partner's wheelchair tyres?
Thought I might see the Samurai sword wielding nutter from Haverhill who got shot by the police (with a stun gun) and brought here last night. There was a guy with a police minder who came out for a smoke, but he looked pretty harmless to me. What is a man without his sword, eh?
One cheeky middle-aged chap came down from his ward for a fag outside dressed only in his surgical gown, the short flimsy thing that does up at the back with three bows. Gave the old ladies waiting in reception for their transport home something to smile about. Occassionally you see patients still attached to their gravity-fed intravenous drips, wheeling the pole carrying the drip bag (don't know technical term) beside them, out the front door and into the fresh air so they can smoke.
Trickiest query tonight: where can I get a pump for my partner's wheelchair tyres?
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in West Suffolk, East Anglia. The centre of town is set out on a medieval grid of streets, with an abbey and extensive gardens on its south- east side.
The abbey tower is a new creation, designed and built by local people. Visitors think it's just been cleaned; but it looks clean because it hasn't had a chance to get dirty yet.
Prince Charles was in town a couple of weeks ago with Camilla to declare it open.
The abbey gardens always look fantastic, but to coincide with the tower celebrations the current display looks particularly sprauncy.
There's been some agg about the tower, with critics wondering why we need a new gothic structure in the 21st century, and others arguing that local council tax payers shouldn't have to pay for spotlights to glorify a building owned by the wealthy Church of England. But anyone with a soul must concede it's a magnificent thing. You can't go up the tower, though, for health and safety reasons it seems. Don't get me started on that.
The abbey tower is a new creation, designed and built by local people. Visitors think it's just been cleaned; but it looks clean because it hasn't had a chance to get dirty yet.
Prince Charles was in town a couple of weeks ago with Camilla to declare it open.
The abbey gardens always look fantastic, but to coincide with the tower celebrations the current display looks particularly sprauncy.
There's been some agg about the tower, with critics wondering why we need a new gothic structure in the 21st century, and others arguing that local council tax payers shouldn't have to pay for spotlights to glorify a building owned by the wealthy Church of England. But anyone with a soul must concede it's a magnificent thing. You can't go up the tower, though, for health and safety reasons it seems. Don't get me started on that.
Market day in Bury. Here's the flower stall at the corner of the Butter Market and Abbeygate Street. Think it's called 'Pick 'em out where you like, two pound a bunch or three for a fiver'. There's been a lot of debate in recent months about the fate of Bury's old Cattle Market. Town councillors have decided that the land once used by the market should be developed into new shops and housing. 
I will elaborate on this in time, but for now here's a shot of The Traverse with its small independent shops - surely at risk if the big chain stores come to town.
I will elaborate on this in time, but for now here's a shot of The Traverse with its small independent shops - surely at risk if the big chain stores come to town. The new Licensing Act comes into force in November, liberalising English licensing law and relaxing pub opening hours. Another controversial issue - few believe it will reduce alcohol-related disorder like it's supposed to - I'll come back to that. Anyhow, the longed-for European style cafe culture can be found in Abbeygate Street on warm Saturdays, and people are not drinking beer. 
Abbeygate Street manages to be the main shopping street without actually having too many shops you'd want to use, but that's OK. It's the best looking street and central to everything. Perhaps I'll review the shops later. Meanwhile, the beating heart of the commercial district is St John's Street. 
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