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HISTORY OF THE BURY SOCIETY
In the nearly 40 years of our existence, we have helped prevent many poor examples of development and have encouraged other better ones.
The society was founded in October 1971 when the council proposed demolition of part of St John's Street in order to build a new shopping centre. A similar campaign to save the Corn Exchange, orchestrated by Norah Lofts had been successful some years before. Advice was obtained from the Norwich Society the Suffolk Preservation Society and the Civic Trust. Norman Scarfe gave the inaugural lecture and David Dymond was chosen as first chairman.
St John's Street was saved and the next issue was Moreton Hall and its development.
In 1976 the society sponsored the paving and planting of part of the Traverse and fought and won a Public Enquiry on the rebuilding of the Eastgate Bridge (what chaos it would have produced).
We advised on the siting of the Frink statue of St Edmund and started the still ongoing campaign to pedestrianise the town centre.
At this time the annual society dance in the Guildhall was one of the town's premier social events!
In 1978 the focus was on the closure of Brentgovel Street and-sadly these battles were lost with the demolition of the Focus Cinema and the White Lion Inn.
In 1984 the society received a generous legacy from Dr Alison Rae which has enabled us to help various projects in the town - including the refurbishment of the Unitarian Meeting House, the St Louis Gatehouse, and the landscaping round St John's Church among others.
We suggested that the council should buy the Bristol House and this is now the Manor House Museum (now, sadly, closed). We urged better management of the Great Churchyard and set up a litter committee which has contributed immensely to the attractiveness of the town by work and suggestion.
In 1985 the seeds of Bury in Bloom were sown and that campaign has flourished under the society's umbrella ever since.
We urged the refurbishment of the tatty Risbygate Street which is now (thanks to the Town Trust) thriving and attractive.
Since 1988 we have urged that the Abbey Church's West Front and the houses therein should be sensitively restored. After many years’ effort, it is a great pleasure to see that the restoration has taken place.
The Cupola House has, after a campaign, been well-restored and is now a popular restaurant in the town centre.
In 1987 the society started to award plaques for architectural excellence in the two categories of restoration and 'new build"- more than 30 buildings should now be adorned by the society's slate plaques.
In the early '90s the bus station was replaced and the plans for the Cattle market thrown out - by this time the council were listening to our advice, not just disagreeing routinely with our opinions.
The key issues remain the Cattle Market redevelopment and other redevelopments in the town centre(e.g. Station Hill, Tayfen Road, Roy’s site), but advice, criticism and discussion on more minor matters enables us to make a significant difference to the attractiveness and vitality of the town.
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