Market Thoroughfare remains closed as Bury St Edmunds Post Office redevelopment project continues

A major thoroughfare in Bury St Edmunds will not be open in time for Christmas, it was confirmed today.

Market Thoroughfare, which has been closed since September 2020 to allow for work transforming the former Cornhill Post Office and to widen the thoroughfare by 50 per cent, remains shut while work on the project is completed.

West Suffolk Council, which is behind the redevelopment of the former Post Office into shops and flats, hopes it will reopen early next year.

Originally, the project was slated for completion in the summer.

Cllr Susan Glossop, cabinet member for growth at West Suffolk Council, said: “It was our expectation that Market Thoroughfare would reopen in early December to support the town centre Christmas trade.

"Sadly, this is no longer deliverable in this timeframe and although it may look like it is finished, there is still work to be done.

"We are continuing to work constructively with Barnes and our immediate priority is to seek the completion of this project early in the new year."

Once the project is complete it will:

- protect the Victorian Cornhill front while bringing it back into economic use and improving accessibility

- create a new commercial front on to St Andrew's Street South, better connecting the historic town centre with the arc Shopping Centre

- widen the Market Thoroughfare walkway at ground-floor level by more than 50 per cent, encouraging footfall between the historic town centre and the arc

- deliver two new ground floor commercial units, with 12 flats above

- benefit from energy efficiency measures including new windows, solar panels and an air source heat pump