The streets of Bury St Edmunds will be blooming beautiful once again this summer despite worldwide reports at the beginning of the year that hanging baskets may be banned from lampposts!
Landscape operatives from St Edmundsbury Borough Council were out in force last week, complete with hard hats and power lifts, carefully installing hanging baskets throughout the town centre, as they do every year.
It was only a few months ago that it looked as though Bury St Edmunds would be deprived of its celebrated hanging baskets, as concerns were raised about ageing lampposts being at risk from snapping from metal fatigue under the weight of the baskets. Through partnership working with Suffolk County Council, which is responsible for the lampposts, the Bury in Bloom committee and Bury Town Council, the story has a happy ending
Councillor Terry Clements, St Edmundsbury Borough Council Cabinet member for Sport and Leisure, said:
“Nobody wanted to see the streets of Bury looking bare this summer, which is why we’ve spent the last few months working very closely together to identify the potential problem areas and have taken steps to ensure the lampposts are strong enough to take the weight, or put in new posts where necessary. We’ll also have new basket trees supplied by Bury Town Council. We’re now pleased to see the first of many hanging baskets going up around the town which is great news for everybody.”
Councillor Julian Swainson, Suffolk County Council Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Environment, Planning and Transport, said:
“I promised in February that Suffolk County Council, working in partnership, would deliver more safe sites for hanging baskets than ever before in Bury St Edmunds this summer. Suffolk County Council engineers have lived up to my promise in full and on time. We are proud to play a part in helping St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Bury in Bloom create the best display ever, which I am sure will draw many visitors to this very special town for many weeks to come.”
Mike Ames, Chairman of the Bury in Bloom committee, added:
“I’m very pleased that we have worked round the initial problems to find a way of creating another excellent floral display in Bury St Edmunds this year. The end result means that Bury St Edmunds will be even more blooming than usual for everyone to come and see!”
ENDS
Notes to editors
§ St Edmundsbury Borough Council removed brackets from lampposts and fitted a 5mm thick neoprene collar to columns. Brackets have then been re-attached using heavy duty fixing solution.
§ 180 baskets will be installed by St Edmundsbury Borough Council on lampposts this year. In addition, there will be 36 baskets on nine new hanging basket trees and 100 Bury in Bloom baskets sponsored by local business.
§ Image 1: Andrew Cobbold, Acting Landscape Supervisor from St Edmundsbury Borough Council.
§ Image 2 from left to right: David Notely (Landscape Operative, St Edmundsbury Borough Council), Robin Crowther (Parks Operations Manager, St Edmundsbury Borough Council), Guy Smith (Assistant Area Highways Manager, Suffolk County Council), Mike Ames (Chairman of Bury in Bloom committee), Cllr Terry Clements (St Edmundsbury Borough Council Cabinet member for Sport and Leisure) and Andrew Cobbold (Acting Landscape Supervisor, St Edmundsbury Borough Council).
Additional images are available on request.
ISSUED BY MARIA ETHRIDGE, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel: 01284 757033 email: maria.ethridge@stedsbc.gov.uk
