Remembering late night Christmas shopping in Bury St Edmunds in the 1990s

For years late night shopping was an official event in Bury St Edmunds with crowds flocking to the town centre.

The annual festivities, organised by Bury St Edmunds Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Bury Free Press, featured a charity market and a range of entertainment.

SuffolkNews has taken a look through the archives at a selection of late night shopping events, held on Thursdays, during the 1990s.

Charity stallholders would often don fancy dress and the best stall would be awarded a prize - sometimes from Miss Bury Free Press.

Families enjoyed fairground rides, school pupils performed music and Santa made an appearance.

In 1993 the Bury Free Press reported that families were able to browse around the different stalls in Buttermarket, enjoy hot chestnuts and visit Santa in the Art Gallery.

The best charity stall on the night was the 6th Bury Scouts with their nativity scene and carols and they received their prize from Miss Bury Free Press Barbara Allen.

In 1994 , more than 50 stalls packed the town centre and during the evening there were sightings of Henry's Cat, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mr Blobby, the Three Little Pigs and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.

There were competitions, fairground rides and the highlight for many children, Father Christmas in his grotto.

Members of the County Music Wind Band played carols and South Lee School pupils sang.

Chamber of Commerce secretary John Grouse helped judge the charity stalls.

The winners of the competition were residents of the Grange Residential Home who were presented with a cheque for £50 from Barclays Bank.

In 1995, the Bury Free Press noted that shoppers braced freezing conditions for the event, which featured more than 70 stalls.

The best stall was West Suffolk Cancer Support Group, which won £100 from Peter Jay, of Barclays Bank.

Runners-up were the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and The Grange Residential Home Social Fund, who each were awarded £50 from Bury Chamber of Commerce representatives.

In 1996, staff and charity members dressed in Dickensian costume to entertain shoppers.

Among them were Moreton Hall School pupils who sang Christmas carols, the 6th Bury Scouts and staff from Grange Residential Home dressed as snowmen.

Miss Bury Free Press Belinda Green spent the evening greeting shoppers and giving out balloons.

Do you have any pictures from late night Christmas shopping in Bury St Edmunds in the 1990s? Email paul.derrick@iliffepublishing.co.uk