St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Suffolk Constabulary are working to minimise disruption for HM The Queen's visit to Bury St Edmunds on Maundy Thursday, 9 April 2009.
The Queen will be distributing Maundy money at the traditional Easter service in St Edmundsbury Cathedral. The historic core of the town will be affected by various closures, as the security cordon is put in place and the area is security swept.
Angel Hill and Chequer Square car parks will be closed overnight Tuesday 6 April until 6pm Thursday 9 April.
From 7am Wednesday 7 April until 6pm Thursday 9 April:
- There will be no vehicular access to Angel Hill from its junction with Northgate Street to its junction with Churchgate Street
- There will be no vehicular access to Crown Street from its junction with Honey Hill to its junction to Churchgate Street
- Chequer Square will be closed
- The Abbey Gardens will be closed, although public lavatories will remain open
- There will be no vehicular access to Abbeygate Street from its junction with Angel Lane
- There will be no vehicular access to Churchgate Street from it junction with Angel Lane
- There will be no vehicular access to the Great Church Yard for the general public (residents of the Great Churchyard will be permitted vehicular access until 6am Thursday 9 April)
However pedestrian access will be allowed in these areas until 6am Thursday 9 April. Diversions for vehicular traffic will be clearly signposted.
Shire Hall and Swan Lane car parks will be closed overnight Wednesday 8 April until 6pm Thursday 9 April.
From 6am until 6pm Thursday 9 April:
- There will be no vehicular access to the Great Church Yard – pedestrian access will be restricted to those who wish to use the area to greet the royal party as they leave the cathedral following the Maundy service.
- There will be no pedestrian access to Athenaeum Lane
- There will be no pedestrian access along Crown Street from its junction with Tuns Lane to Churchgate Street
A park and ride service will operate from 9am to 6pm on Thursday 9 from Nowton Park, costing £1.50 per car load, with a service running in and out of St Andrew Street South every 15 minutes.
As a major event for Bury St Edmunds and the county as a whole, planning and then staffing the two days involves scores of officers including the Special Constabulary, police staff and members of partner agencies.
St Edmundsbury District Commander Chief Inspector Martin Barnes-Smith is in charge of officers in Bury for the visit. He says, “Officers, staff and partners with many specialities have been involved in the planning process which has taken several months, covering everything from escorting the royal party into Angel Hill, searching buildings, bins and drains, assisting the recipients, their companions and other guests during rehearsals and on the day, and organising and staffing road closures. Whilst there will be a large number of officers in Bury town centre on the day, it is very much business as usual for the rest of the county.
“With a lot of preparations for the service happening on Wednesday 8 April, we are having to close Angel Hill, Chequer Square and their car parks for two days. Any disruption is being kept to a minimum, as we want those who want to attend to have an enjoyable day, but also for those who need to continue as normal to be able to do so as much as possible.
“There will be pedestrian access throughout on the Wednesday, and on Maundy Thursday areas will be set aside for people who wish to greet The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh as they arrive at the cathedral and then visit the Athenaeum for a reception afterw ards.
“I must stress though that this visit will not give much of an opportunity to see The Queen. Her Majesty is visiting the cathedral to take part in a religious ceremony and will only be in public view for a very short time as the royal party moves between locations.”
Ends
Note to editors - Background to Royal Maundy
Maundy coins have remained in much the same form since 1670. They have traditionally been struck in sterling silver, except for the brief interruptions of Henry's Vlll's debasement of the coinage and the general change to 50% silver coins in 1920. The sterling silver standard was resumed following the Coinage Act of 1946.
In 1971, when decimalisation took place, the face values of the coins were increased from old to new pence.
The effigy of The Queen on ordinary circulating coinage has undergone three changes, but Maundy coins still bear the same portrait of Her Majesty prepared by Mary Gillick for the first coins issued in the year of her coronation in 1953.
The Royal Maundy service used to take place in London, but early in her reign The Queen decided that the service should take place at a different cathedral every year. The Queen has distributed Maundy on all but four occasions since coming to the throne in 1952.
The word 'Maundy' comes from the command or 'mandatum' by Christ at the Last Supper, to love one another.The tradition of the Sovereign giving money to the poor dates from the thirteenth century. The Sovereign also used to give food and clothing, and even washed the recipients' feet.
The last monarch to do so was James II.
