The big stories in the Bury St Edmunds area in 2001 including A11 Elveden bypass, Cattle Market project and the end of Rollerbury
2001: It was a year which included one of the hardest-hitting international events in memory, while closer to home the foot and mouth crisis devastated farming communities.
We have trawled our archives to look back on some of the big stories in West Suffolk during 2001.
There are also some you might have forgotten.
A11 Elveden bypass 'yes'
The story which has probably had an impact on millions of motorists since was the decision – following a long campaign – to grant approval to an A11 bypass at Elveden.
In the 20 years before the major £33 million bypass project was approved the notorious accident blackspot saw more than 60 people killed and more than 130 injured.
The completed scheme saw the A11 made dual-carriageway between the Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills to Thetford.
Millennium Tower television signal concern
Fears were voiced the £10 million Millennium Tower project at St Edmundsbury Cathedral could see television reception blocked for some residents – particularly those living closest to the new tower.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council considered reports flagging the potential issue, with Cllr Mike Ames saying at the time: "We don't want to start ringing alarm bells and as long as we monitor the situation we should be fine."
Prince Charles visits to lay the first brick
Talking of the Millennium Tower, in July 2001 Prince Charles visited Bury St Edmunds to lay the first brick of the 150ft structure.
Cattle Market project takes a step forward
Change elsewhere in Bury town centre saw Centros Miller named as developer for the major Cattle Market redevelopment scheme.
Cllr Andrew Varley said at the time: "This is the most significant development in the town since the 11th century, when Abbot Baldwin laid out the grid plan of the streets."
The arc Shopping Centre opened on the Cattle Market site in 2009.
Palmers hopes for new department store in town
Meanwhile Palmers department store, which operated from premises on the corner of Buttermarket and Abbeygate Street as well as its homestore in St Andrew's Street, wanted to build a new multi-million pound store in Bury.
"We almost demand the right to build a department store in Bury, either as part of the redevelopment scheme or independent of developer Centros Miller," said Palmers managing director Bruce Sturrock.
"We believe by supporting Bury for over 40 years, investing in the town when stores such as Debenhams and Co-op have deserted, that we have earned the right to be given the chance to compete on level terms with new entrants."
Retailer Debenhams was later chosen as the 'anchor' store for the Cattle Market development and Palmers modernised its existing Bury sites.
Both retailers have since closed in the town.
Imperial measures reign on street market
And despite decimalisation being adopted in the UK in 1971, market traders in Bury remained defiant on pounds and ounces.
Under European law it had become illegal to sell goods measured in imperial weights, but market traders united to continue selling in pounds and ounces after saying trade suffered when they tried to switch.
Doreen Cunningham, a greengrocer on the market, said: "It is ridiculous. I was brought up using pounds and ounces and my customers all prefer it.
"We changed to metric but trade went downhill."
And stallholder Martin Hart said: "I will stay in pounds and ounces as long as I can. Everyone else on this market still uses them so why should I change?"
The end was nigh for Rollerbury
Ahh, Rollerbury. The scene of so many fond memories for Bury youngsters of the 1980s and 1990s.
Alas, the writing was on the wall for the Station Hill venue once plans for a fitness centre on the site were submitted.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council planners were asked to consider the scheme, which would see the roller rink replaced with a gym and aerobics studio.
Back in 1988 Rollerbury was the biggest rollerskating rink in Britain and in 2001 it was still used as a training venue by various skating groups.
Fitness First later opened on the site after permission was granted.
Now, the site is home to hundreds of people as the area has been completely redeveloped into housing.
Attempts to contain spread of disease
Foot and mouth brought countryside across the region to a standstill with parks and nature reserves including Thetford Forest, Ickworth Park and Nowton Park closed to the public in an effort to contain the spread of the devastating disease.
Councils also instructed their refuse collection lorries to steer clear of farm premises as the crisis took hold in March 2001.
Michael Gliksten, who farms 2,000 deer at Denham Estate, said at the time: "It only takes one person to break the system and spread the disease."
Jonathan Tomkinson, who kept 80 Jersey cows in Rattlesden, said: "We have been developing this herd for 50 years and I don't want to see it go up in smoke in the middle of a field."
Lyons-style tearoom envisaged
The central unit of the former Cornhill library building was earmarked for a Lyons-style tearoom as proposals were submitted to planners.
Harriets Tearooms has now operated from the site since 2001.
Crowds flock to final record-breaking RAF Mildenhall Air Fete
More than half a million people witnessed stunning aerial acrobatics at what turned out to be the final RAF Mildenhall Air Fete.
The event was so popular – with a record-breaking 550,000 people visiting over the two days – that car parks were full by 10.15am on the Saturday and Suffolk Police advised people to stay away.
The cancellation of several events across Suffolk as a result of the foot and mouth crisis – including the Suffolk Show – meant the air fete was always going to be popular.
Capt Matt Borg, RAF Mildenhall spokesman, said the crowds were welcome: "They have helped us make Air Fete one of the biggest and best air shows anywhere."
2001 news in brief:
300 people were evacuated in a Theatre Royal fire alert during a performance of Dick Whittington in January.
The final phase of works improving Angel Hill were due to start in the spring of 2001, focussing on the area from the war memorial down to the traffic lights.
The Howard estate's Merry-Go-Round pub was to be made safe following a string of arson attacks.
Greene King hoped to build its access road across the Water Meadows, off Cullum Road, by the end of the summer following a long battle with planners and environmental campaigners.
And finally, thanks to the help of Bury firefighters a neglected statue of St Edmund was given a new home at the now-derelict Cornhill Walk Shopping Centre.
Elsewhere in 2001:
- In January, Sven-Göran Eriksson started in the role of manager of the England football manager – he had signed a five-year contract to succeed Kevin Keegan.
- The foot and mouth crisis began on February 19.
- The Labour Party won the June 2001 General Election in a second landslide victory.
- On September 11, terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda on the US saw nearly 3,000 people lose their lives, of whom 67 were UK nationals.
- In November, the first Harry Potter film – Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – premièred in London
