Nowton Park County Fair is axed after more than 20 years while Bury St Edmuds festival is scaled down
Bury Festival 2009 - 70s/80s Night
The Nowton Park Country Fair is to be scrapped while the annual Bury St Edmunds Festival is to be scaled back from two weeks to four days.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council made both announcements this week.
It is being prosecuted over the death of Bury grandmothere Carole Bullett at the country fair in 2011, when she was trampled by a horse.
But the council says the death and subsequent court proceedings are not the reason it is axing the fair after more than 20 years.
Instead a council statement said the fair had outlived its purpose.
It had been started as a way of promoting the park to visitors and cost the council money to put on.
Cllr David Nettleton backed the move saying: “I never really thought that it was something that the local council should be running.”
He added that there was no reason why another organisation could not hire the park to host its own fair.
Meanwhile the annual festival in May, will take place over four days instead of the two week schedule it normally has.
Culture portfolio holder Cllr Sara Mildmay-White said the decision was partly to promote the council owned Apex.
“We have the World-class accoustics in the Apex we are able to stage festival-style events almost every week, instead of a once-a-year treat.
“As fas as I am concerned the festival will always be an important part of the Bury calendar, but I think that we should take a pause, reflect on our success and think about what shape we want the festival to be in the future.”
But Cllr Nettleton said that a review should be carried out after the festival rather than during it.
This year’s festival will feature soprano Lesley Garrett. Details of the line up will be announced on February 20.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Wednesday 19 June 2013
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