Welcome to the Knights of St Edmund's Homepage

In celebration of St Edmund’s Day 2011 and the on-going glorious intervention of God’s power.

November 2011: This year marks the sixth anniversary of the Curse of St Edmund upon those who sought to ruin and despoil St Edmund’s town. (1)
As was they were fore-warned, those seeking to profit from the Centros Cattle Market Development and its spin-off schemes have reaped their share of woe.

Amongst the effects of the Curse of St Edmund in 2011
Donaldsons/ DTZ shares – two companies intimately involved in manipulating the planning and development process in St Edmundsbury and other Centros schemes around England have seen their value plummet, ensnared by debt.

The fashion chain Jane Norman going into administration at the end of June 2011 - no surprise to those who have followed the progress of the Curse of St Edmund – as predicted here in 2008.

HMV problems in 2011 - the closure of 60 HMV stores, the sell-off of their book chain Waterstones in May 2011....the reward for the company which was the first to announce it would defy the curse and be the first to open in the cursed shopping development

Mike Hancock MP, the Centros champion in Portsmouth for the twin scheme to the Arc/Cattlemarket development embroiled in yet more scandals, forcing his resignation from the Defence Select Committee......

The collapse of businesses opening in the Arc development itself, the Juice bar and the endless sales......signs of a shopping centre that has failed

The failure of the £18 million Apex public building – promoted as a major venue, it averages one or two events a week, with the Council trying desperately to keep it afloat. In June 2011 it was reduced to promoting a show ‘Lady Boys of Bangkok’ which presumably appeals to sex tourists (still it was claimed the Apex ‘would appeal to every taste’). Not surprisingly, the John Griffiths is already talking about selling the place off.

There was the fall of Andrea Hill, chief executive of Suffolk County Council, notable supporter of the Arc/Cattlemarket development. She selected the Arc/Cattlemarket as one of the sites for promoting her “roadshow” for a ‘new strategic direction’ for Suffolk County Council, since hastily abandoned with her departure...

And so it goes on. The Knights of St Edmund repeat their warning that the companies that have become involved in the cursed Arc/Cattlemarket can only save themselves by repentance and pulling out of this and similar schemes around England. Our prediction is that Debenhams will again suffer the wrath of God in 2012 and many others will similarly experience the effects at first hand.

THE CENTROS EFFECT – Skilled, experienced, approachable..... and cursed

“Centros is a highly skilled, experienced and approachable property development property based in London. We specialise in creating and asset managing attractive developments in towns and cities, which provide sustainable environments for people to live, relax, eat and shop. Our website is now being updated to reflect our full range of current projects”

On their website are listed:
– Northern Quarter, Portsmouth
– Castle Piccadilly, York
– City Centre, Lancaster
– Houndshill Shopping Centre, Blackpool
– Tower Centre, Hoddesdon
– East Street Shopping Centre, Southampton
– Arnison Shopping Park, Durham
– Blackpool Road, Preston
– Ascot Road, Watford

But missing, of course, is Bury St Edmunds though they have posted suitably gloomy “fall of the House of Usher” type images of the Arc/Cattlemarket and Debenhams abominations in the town.
Centros omits to mention how they pulled out of the Arc scheme in January 2010 “fed up with publicity about the curse”.

Interestingly, the name Steve Bryson appears on their website again; once more “the dog returns to his vomit” as we said a few years back; is his mention an attempt to get back at Mr Bryson for his failure to deal with the deluge of bad publicity that Centros has suffered since 2005....?

Summing up the effect that a Centros development scheme such as the Arc/Cattle Market has on the life of an English town, look to the words of Deuteronomy Chapter 28, v 37 (New International Version 1984)

Although Centros quit Bury St Edmunds at the beginning of 2010, the aftermath of their influence can be seen in the continuing and increasing number of shops closing down in the town. This leaves a bitter taste. The Cattlemarket Development in its dying agonies has become a canker drawing the life from the town.

ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL – WHAT IS ITS ROLE?

St Edmundsbury Borough Council seems to exist principally as a machine whereby public money is channelled into private pockets. We doubt whether Minister Pickles – who believes in the same – will intervene any more than his ideological twin John Prescott did, when the situation was reported to his office.

Headed by the lacklustre John Griffiths, St Edmundsbury Councillors – with a few honourable exceptions – exist simply to rubber stamp the decisions of unelected officials who have maintained a cosy relationship with developers, operating through various organisations such as the Historic Towns Forum. The latter has just surfaced in Salisbury in November 2011 with plans for developing a scheme.

HISTORIC TOWNS FORUM

The Historic Towns Forum is an organisation whose prime purpose is promoting developers interests, thinly disguised as a heritage organisation. In its previous incarnation as the English historic Towns Forum provided a forum in which planning officials and developers could rub shoulders without public scrutiny.

The current Historic Towns Forum membership list may give an idea as to the identity of some of the manipulators are as well as who is being manipulated. It may also give an indication of who are Centros’s infamous local ‘champions’. The role, activities, funding and membership of the Historic Towns Forum are all interesting avenues of investigation.

Historic Towns Forum Public membership list
Action for Market Towns
Addagrip Surface Treatments Ltd
Air Marshal Sir Reginald E W Harland
Amesbury Town Council
Architectural Conservation Professionals
Architectural History Practice
ASP
ATCM
Atkins
Aylesbury Town Council
Barrow in Furness Borough Council
Bath & North East Somerset Council
Bath Preservation Trust
Beacon Planning
Bircham Dyson Bell LLP
Blue Sail
Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Bradford on Avon Town Council
BRE Ltd
Brian Human
Brighton & Hove City Council
Bristol City Council
British Parking Association
Cadw
Caird Consulting
Cambridge City Council
Camlin Lonsdale
Canterbury City Council
Carlisle City Council
CED Ltd
Centros UK Limited
Ceredigion County Council
CgMs
Charlotte Gallagher
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Chichester District Council
Chris Blandford Associates
Chris Winter
Christopher Garrand Consultancy
City of Winchester Trust
Colchester Borough Council
Colin Tadier
Context4D
Copeland Borough Council
Cornwall Council
David Ashton Hill
Dennis Stevenson
DJC1 Planning Limited
DLA Landscape & Urban Design Ltd
DLG Architects
Dominique Giudicelli
Donald Insall Associates
Dr Lindsay Lennie
East Midlands Association of Civic Societies
English Heritage
Erewash Borough Council
European Association of Historic Towns & Regions
Exeter City Council
Federation of Bath Residents' Associations
Fenland District Council
Forest Heath District Council
Freedom Digital Networks Ltd
Frome Town Council
Garry Vidler
gbs architects
George Ferguson PPRIBA
Gerald Milward-Oliver
Globe Consultants
Graham Reddie
Guildford Borough Council
Guy St John Taylor Associates Ltd
Hamilton-Baillie Associates Ltd
Harrogate Borough Council
Hawkins Eades Planning
Herefordshire Council
Heritage Works Buildings Preservation Trust Ltd
Hertford Town Council
High Peak Borough Council
Historic Scotland
Hitchin Forum
Hitchin Initiative
Home Portraits 4 U
ICOMOS UK
IHBC
Imagemakers - Heritage Design Consultants
Inkpen Downie Architecture & Design
Irish Walled Towns Network
James Gregory
James Ritson
Jess Bailey Consultancy
Joe Broomfield
John Holland
John Lewis Partnership
Jonathan Roberts Consulting Ltd
Julie Howard Partnership
Keighley Town Council
Keith Laidler
Kirklees Metropolitan Council
L&R Consulting LLP
Lancaster City Council
Lancaster Civic Society
Land Securities Group PLC
Landor Travel Publications
Leicester Civic Society
Leicestershire County Council
Les Sparks OBE
Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation
Lewes Town Council
Lichfield City Council
Lichfield District Council
Lincoln City Council
Maintain Our Heritage
Mansell Jagger
Martin Bacon
Medway Council
Mendip District Council
Nash Partnership
Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners
Newcastle City Council
Norman Chang
North Norfolk District Council
Norwich City Council
Oxford City Council
Oxford Preservation Trust
Peter Metcalfe
Peter Studdert
Placemarque
PLB
Pop Up Power Supplies Ltd
Powell Dobson Urbanists
Resin Bonded Surfaces Ltd
Richard Baddeley & Company
Rob Surl
Roger Beckett
Ronacrete Ltd
Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
RUDI
Rye Conservation Society
Salisbury Civic Society
Sam Howes
Sandover Associates Limited
Scarborough Borough Council
Shireland Developments Ltd
Shropshire Council
Solar Slate Ltd
South Gloucestershire Council
South Kesteven District Council
Springboard Research Ltd
St Albans City & District Council
St Edmundsbury Borough Council
St James' Investments Ltd
States of Guernsey
SteinTec UK Ltd
Steven Bee Urban Counsel
Storm Windows Limited
Stratford Society
Stuart Turner
Suka Group
Suraiyati Rahman
Tamsin Macmillan
Telford and Wrekin Council
The Bury Society
The Chester Civic Trust
The Chichester Society
The Conservation Studio
The Heritage Alliance
The Horsham Society
The Ipswich Society
The Listed Property Owners Club
The Means LLP
The Prince's Foundation
The Regency Society of Brighton & Hove
The Warwick Society
The Widcombe Association
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Tweed Nuttall Warburton: Architects and Urban Designers
University of the West of England
Urban Aspect
Urban Initiatives Ltd
Urban Projects Ltd
Vanessa Gregory
Ventrolla
Walled Towns Friendship Circle
Ward Hadaway
West Midlands Amenity Societies Association
Wicklow Town Forum
Wiltshire Council
Winchester City Council
Wokingham Town Council
Wood Window Alliance
WOODHØUSE
Worcester City Council
York City Council
Youghal Town Council
_space group

“You will become a thing of horror and an object of scorn and ridicule to all the nations where the LORD will drive you. “

Or as the New American Standard Bible 2001 has it :
And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the LORD will lead you away.

The Cattlemarket Development has become a by-word for stupid planning decisions. St Edmundsbury Borough Council is seen as a horror of local authority, which ignored local democratic opinion, entered into a contract without reading it and saw the Council’s elected Councillors lamely rubber stamping the unelected officer’s dictates. The credibility of local government has been brought to an all-time low, despite the departure of nearly all of those publicly identified Centros ‘champions’ within the Borough administration. As predicted the Cattlemarket development has become an economic mill-stone around the town’s neck with Bury’s shops are closing every month. Despite this Local politicians and the Centros-manipulated Johnston Press (see previous posts) lamely continue to try to puff the Arc in any way possible, claiming it will still be the salvation of Bury St Edmunds, promoting to commerce, trade and well-being.

FOOTNOTE

(1) For those new to the story The Curse of the Saint Edmund was invoked by a Suffolk based group, the Knights of St Edmund who concerned about the preservation of heritage and the sacred and the promotion of Christian values in public life. They have actively opposed the redevelopment of Bury St Edmunds, one of the most historic towns in England. Like many other development schemes around England, the Arc/Cattle Market development was imposed on the town against the will of local people as a result of an unholy alliance between developers Centros, Debenhams and local champions – unelected officials and councillors – who had been persuaded or seduced into handing control to outside corporations. Having been betrayed from within and found the normal democratic channels blocked, the Knights of St Edmund turned to prayer and called upon our town’s Saint to intercede to stop those in big business who wished to destroy heritage going back a thousand years.

Medieval Bury St Edmunds was laid out on a sacred plan, reflecting the top-down cosmological beliefs of the time. At the centre was the Abbey of Saint Edmund, representing Heaven. This was surrounded by the realm of the angels, still known as Angel Hill, followed by the earth and man’s domain, a grid pattern of medieval streets. Outside this lay the town ditch and the area corresponding to hell on the medieval town scheme, where waste and the bodies of dead animals and suicides were left. It may even have been a place where the bodies of Jews murdered in a pogrom in 1190 were concealed. It is on “Hell” that no-one built any substantial structures for 800 years, the site being used as a livestock market until 2000 and then as a car park. It was on this site that the Arc/Cattle Market shopping scheme was then planned and erected, with no proper archaeological survey was conducted before work commenced, the local authority allowing corner cutting and English Heritage apparently turning a blind eye. Disturbingly, no elected member of the authority was allowed to read the full development agreement.

Say a Prayer and Light a Candle this St Edmund’s Day 20th November 2010

To the Glory of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and to our Blessed Saint Edmund King and Martyr, the following matters are hereby recorded for 2010 at the feast day of St Edmund November 20th and prayers of thanks offered:

CENTROS QUIT BURY ST EDMUNDS — GOOD RIDDANCE

20/11/2010 - To the rejoicing of all who are faithful and love liberty in the town, the accursed Centros have quit Bury St Edmunds. Less than a year after their Bury St Edmunds scheme opened for business in March 2009, cursed Centros decided to pull out, putting the entire mall on the market for £70 million, considerably less than its estimated £105 million construction cost. This canker in the body social and politic quietly announced their decision to sell-up and leave the town. Their departure was not announced locally until the story was picked up by the Bury Free Press. Centros have kept out of the news and have been desperate to avoid any mention of the Curse of St Edmund.

On being asked why they were quitting by property journal Estates Gazette, Centros denied it was because of supernatural influences. But an insider from the company claimed “the firm was fed up with press coverage of the curse.” (Source: Estates Gazette 30 January 2010).

Despite all the claims that they were in Bury St Edmunds for “the long term” the Centros quit shows just how exploitative and manipulative their relationship with local authorities actually is. After the lacklustre John Griffiths and fellow councillors and officials basically handed Centros the reins of civic power, Centros have fled, leaving their scheme and its local backers floundering. The phrase political Some of them may at long last realized that they have been used all along.

Cattle Market development has been sold on to an investment firm at around £30 million less than its construction firm. As well as having damaged the town, years of effort and resources have been thrown away on a scheme that has in fact ruined the town. Bury could have been entered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Instead of there being any economic revival the town is danger of becoming a place of empty shops, and pound shops opened by minor soap opera actors.

The absence of local news coverage if their departure was due to Centros fears that that local councillors in Bury St Edmunds might start demanding money off them. (as happened at Lancaster – see below). Little danger of that under the lacklustre Mr Griffins or the gullible Sarah Mild May White (who is locally considered the fall girl for the Centros champions).

Five years ago we compared St Edmundsbury Borough Council to Judas Iscariot. We have no reason to revise that opinion. Indeed, some councillors and officials may now be seeing it for themselves.

TOWN CENTRE MANAGER QUITS

20/11/2010 - Another smaller but nonetheless welcome move was that two days after Centros found a buyer for their scheme, the town centre manager quit his £40 000 a year post. Well what a surprise! But good news nonetheless to have a Centros company supporter and lobbyist out of local life. As it was, he had been heartily disliked by some of Bury St Edmunds community. None of the measures put forward were enhancing Bury life, since the ultimate Centros-inspired plot was to try and destroy the market.

LANCASTER COLLAPSE FOR CENTROS

20/11/2010 - Following the prayers and celebrations of St Edmund’s Day 2009, faithful observers will have noted the collapse of the Centros scheme in Lancaster. Typical mendacity and Centros corner cutting was revealed with the arbitrary attempt to destroy a building, the Britten spiritualist centre. The wholesale destruction of buildings without proper planning process was what characterised much of the Cattlemarket development in Bury St Edmunds. Fortunately a vigorous Campaign by the Green Party, It’s Our City and the people of Lancaster and the Spiritualist movement itself sounded the death knell for the Centros Shopping scheme. In the process, the corner cutting and actions of the remaining Centros “champions” were yet again exposed.

In Lancaster, the Britten Spiritualist Centre at Lancaster, suddenly found itself on a list of buildings proposed for demolition to make way for a planned shopping development involving the city’s Canal Corridor, Northern side. The shopping scheme was originally going to be a joint venture between Lancaster City Council and London retail developer Centros. In circumstances which are unclear (but would worth following up) someone described the spiritualist centre as being ‘redundant’ in the application, and therefore posing no obstacle demolition. Fortunately, the error and lack of proper consultation was taken up by the Spiritualist’s National Union on behalf of the centre and who made representations at a public inquiry. Fortunately, in what was called as an ‘early Christmas present’ by campaigners, John Denham, Secretary of State rejected the entire planning proposal in an announcement made on December 22nd 2009, despite the Planning Inspector declaring that the spiritualist building was of “very modest” architectural interest.

John Denham had finally got round to looking at the evidence at the inquiry, as well as the files of letters, warnings and complaints that had been lodged with the Ministry of Communities and Local Government against Centros. Having more sense of public duty that Ministers John Prescott and Phil Woolas who shut their eyes to Centros activities, he took action and refused the Centros scheme. Lancaster is now to be spared an abomination like the Cattlemarket /Arc.

Lancaster City Council and Centros have also quarrelled amongst themselves, and the whole project has gone down. The SNU were reported to be seeking costs for all the trouble and legal expense they were put to by having to appear at the inquiry.(Source: For the Secretary of State’s decision letter and more, see www.itsourcity.org.uk).

We hold no brief with spiritualism, but any destruction of religious buildings and property would have been viewed as a risky act of sacrilege. After the Reformation, dire consequences were considered to attach to those who turned ecclesiastical houses and lands to secular use. A good example was Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire, home of Lord Byron whose family and successors suffered notorious bad luck and misfortune.

Newstead Abbey was just one of many such properties afflicted, with Sir Henry Spelman’s 17th century work The History and Fate of Sacrilege going through updated four editions until 1896, listing hundreds more examples, extracted from historic family records and wills.

Woe unto Centros in Portsmouth

20/11/2010 - The other place where a Centros scheme has gone down has been in Portsmouth.

The Chinese have a saying “He who lies down with dogs gets up with lice”. Such thoughts can only be playing on the minds of Centros staff when they consider the continuing and unrolling scandals which have afflicted local government in the City and which have been published previously over the last three and a half years. Local campaigners fed up with the situation are now putting themselves forward as anti-corruption candidates at local elections. Many more revelations are promised and are expected.

Then there have also been the problems of the leading champion Mike Hancock MP being featured in the news this autumn.

We need not recite the details here – interested journalists and individuals can follow up the stories themselves – the Sunday Times having a head start. At the time of writing, Mike Hancock MP has been arrested and bailed. He maintains he is innocent.

2011 AND THE SITUATION IN BURY

20/11/2010 - Things are now looking rather bleak for the clique whom Centros have abandoned. The local councillors and officer champions are increasingly without their cover and big protectors, from New Labour Ministerial level downwards. Our poor and mediocre gang of St Edmundsbury councillors are suddenly being left having to think and do things for themselves. The boisterous briefings to the press celebrating every minor and trivial achievements have stopped and the handful councillors who really do represent local people are prepared to ask more questions and put matters right.

The vulnerability of councillors and officers has been increased with the election of Coalition Government who are intent of rolling back many of the New Labour policies, including the variety of planning schemes endorsed by St Edmundsbury. Minister Pickles also states he wants to see communities given more power and officials made more account. That will be most interesting to see in action in Bury St Edmunds.

The Audit Commission, whose lacklustre approach could have been more relied upon to cover up rather than expose financial mismanagement is to be scrapped, having been without an operational head for some time. This means that one of the barriers to investigating St Edmundsbury Borough Council has been removed. Former Chief Executive Cadman and her husband (past and present chief executives of St Edmundsbury) could hitherto rely on Ms Cadman’s previous connections with the Audit Commission to deal effectively its minimal checks. That will no longer be an option to with future scrutiny.

The recent Potters Bar rail prosecution brought after eight years shows that the ship of state is prepared to once again starting to look back at past errors, even years old. Let us pray that this spirit will enthuse the office of Minister Eric Pickles who is committed to tackling financial abuses and maladministration by local authorities. St Edmundsbury will doubtless be in his sights.

There are going to have to be an investigation into:

Seven million pounds spent on consultants in five years
The Historic Town Forum and their links with people in the town(these have already started locally)
The £18 million spent on the unsustainable public building
The role of certain planning officers and corporate directors
The levels of pay to certain officials
The fact that the road and buildings are already crumbling
Breaches of European law

It is interesting to note this process is beginning in Norwich, where another Centros champion Mr Jerry Massey (ex-Portsmouth, ex-Bury St Edmunds) has moved run. There have been problems in Norwich his new base, and locals have been briefed about his background. Events in Norwich and his connections have been given much exposure in the Eastern Daily Press which is considerably freer than the Bury Free Press and the East Anglian Daily Times to report on matters.

ATTACKS ON BURY MARKET RESISTED

20/11/2010 - A Centros scheme was to close the twice weekly market at Bury St Edmunds and replace it with a covered market as at Greenwich. St Edmundsbury Council’s champion clique was going along with this until the whole scheme began to be exposed in January 2010.

Fortunately, there is a major obstacle – Bury St Edmunds market cannot be changed without an Act of Parliament. It is in the same position as Ipswich market which required the Ipswich Market Act 2004.

Markets can come into existence in a variety of ways, by Royal Charter, by statute and by prescription. Bury St Edmunds is an example of what is termed a ‘market by prescription’. The market is established by prescription or lost grant; failing evidence of a grant from the Crown Bury St Edmunds market is established at common law, and pre-dates 1189 ( this being the ‘limit of legal memory’). The market is arguably limited to the spot where it has been held, since the town is laid out to a plan which is pre-1189. Historic records exist of a market in Bury in 1123 and the Council’s own website states that its origins are Anglo Saxon.

The right of market is established by its historic usage. As pre-1189 the right of market in Bury St Edmunds is therefore established by common law. There is deemed to be a franchise from time immemorial, which cannot be alter except by an Act of Parliament.

There is a presumption of statutory interpretation that very clear words are needed to alter any common law right; furthermore the change is always to be interpreted so as to protect the liberty and rights of the subject are protected. In this case this would include market users.

What remains to be asked is why the Council nonetheless wanted to spend money on consultants - £6000 to look at the position. The key player in this game is Cllr Nigel Aitkens who in 1993 wanted to privatise the Abbey Gardens.

DEBENHAMS BUILDING

20/11/2010 - Blot on the landscape it remains, having drawn critical comments in many quarters. ‘Why did they build such a hideous thing’ was a comment by a visiting journalist. The links between Debenhams and all the above will be revealed in due course....

ST EDMUNDSBURY CATHEDRAL EMBRACES THE LOCAL SAINT

20/11/2010 - Five years on, St Edmundsbury Cathedral has been showing an increased interest in St Edmund. Special events have being held and more are planned. St Edmund is mentioned in prayers offered at the Churches of North Bury Team Ministry. We are naturally joyful that the significance of our powerful Saint is being again recognised by Our Christian brothers and sisters.

Dismay for Debenhams

Dismay for Debenhams as £323m cash call shunned - Daily Mail June 2009

On St Edmund’s Day November 20th 2009

To the Glory of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and to our Blessed Saint Edmund King and Martyr, the following matters are hereby recorded for 2009 at the feast day of St Edmund November 20th and prayers of thanks offered:

On March 5th 2009 half of the Cattle Market development – re-branded as “the Arc” - opened. Outlets stood empty and the public building was uncompleted. Centros officials steered clear. Contrary to the claims that the scheme would be opened by a major celebrity, in the event not one celebrity was prepared to risk an appearance, despite this being this being the only shopping mall to open in whole of the UK in 2009. People have been right to avoid it.

LOCAL FEELINGS

Most interesting are the numbers Bury people who have said to the Knights - including those who were previously neutral or unconcerned - “that there is something that makes you uneasy about the Arc”, “there is something wrong with it which makes you feel uncomfortable when visiting” or “something not quite right”. These feelings are intangible, and people cannot explain why they are experiencing them. But they are clearly experiencing genuinely unpleasant sensations, just being within the Cattle market development precincts and many people feel the compelling need to leave.

The Knights have been advising those who are experiencing this phenomenon and who are worried by it to seek spiritual counsel and guidance from a Christian minister.

CRACKS APPEAR

The road in front of the Cattle Market/Arc has begun to crack open. The road which cost £500 000 is less than a year old has begun to crumble. The East Anglian Daily Times reported:

“In little over a year many of the once gleaming stone blocks in the re-laid stretch of the street, which sits beside the landmark Arc shopping centre have cracked, chipped, or moved and the road itself undulates in parts with peaks and troughs”.

SOURCE: East Anglian Daily Times 20/10/09

CATTLEMARKET /ARC BUILDER COLLAPSES

Haymills, the leading Cattle Market / Arc builder and the firm behind the public building collapsed in August 2009. Haymills was the major contractor working on the Public Venue. Many sub-contractors have also been hit as a result too. The East Anglian Daily Times reported:

“Dozens of small businesses from Suffolk and the surrounding counties are owed hundreds of thousands of pounds for completed contracts - debts that will not be repaid through the takeover arrangement made by administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers.”

The remains of Haymills were snatched up by a French company without these debts being paid. Anyone familiar with events since November 2005 will not be surprised at the fate of Haymills and those connected with the Cattle Market development.

See: ‘True Cost of Haymills collapsed revealed’ East Anglian Daily Times 16/10/2009;
www.reuters.com/article/bankruptcyNews/idUSLD67385920090813

“ONE OF THE PLANNING FIASCOS OF THE DECADE” - COLLAPSE OF THE CENTROS SCHEME AT LANCASTER

Plans for a twin scheme to the Centros development in Bury St Edmunds collapsed into the dust in Lancaster in 2009.

Signs that Centros had lost the backing of certain people in the New Labour Government emerged in the spring when a public inquiry was called in Lancaster. Even the Department for Communities and Local Government has had to acknowledge the pall of suspicion hanging over Centros and the opposition of communities to the company in different parts of the UK.

A flavour of what Lancastrians thought of the situation is shown on the website for the local campaign group:

“The developers Centros are modern day carpetbaggers backed by privately funded property company Delancey.... Despite claiming that their development plans 'stand on their own merit', Centros have refused to defend their own plans at the inquiry claiming it would cost them up to £1 million to do so. Instead they are relying on their friends in the council to squander local taxpayers money to do it for them.”

The thing that Centros officers most feared was having to answer questions about the Portsmouth corruption allegations, the breaking of European planning laws and their campaigns of skulduggery to fix planning decisions and to harm those who oppose them. So they refused to take part.

But worse was to come when Lancaster City Council pulled out of the inquiry as well. The heritage protection campaign SAVE described it as: “one of the planning fiascos of the decade.” It soon turned into a full-scale rout with Lancaster Council and Centros at each other’s throats over costs of the failed inquiry.

The Inspector’s Report on the failed inquiry is expected in January 2010.

SOURCES: http://www.itsourcity.org.uk/index.html; www.savebritainsheritage.org ; http://www.centros.co.uk/latest_news_article.php?id=50: Also Estates Gazette, the Lancaster Guardian and many others.

DEBENHAMS PROBLEMS CONTINUE

Debt ridden Debenhams has continued to suffer in 2009 with investors pulling out and top officials leaving. A full round-up on the doom of Debenhams on a national and international level soon.

IPSWICH DEBENHAMS ‘UNLUCKY’

Whilst the Bury St Edmunds bug-eyed Debenhams is visually the most detested part of the Cattle Market/Arc it is interesting Ipswich Debenhams is gaining a local reputation for being ‘unlucky’. In 2009 the store has been hit by all kinds of problems in the last year, including some reports in the East Anglian Daily Times and the Ipswich Evening Star e.g.” Debenhams was closed for much of the day after losing power”

From: ‘Power cuts knocks out central Ipswich’ EADT 23/07/09

BRITISH LAND

British Land and Land Securities net profits have suffered in 2009, and new chief executive Chris Grigg wants to re-think its strategy, according to The Times.”Old-fashioned deals in wine bars will be out” commented Jenny Davey. Hardly surprising in light of the above events.

SOURCE: Inside the City, Times Business 15/11/09

PORTSMOUTH COUNCILLOR JAILED

Two years after being named on the KOSE website Cllr Jeremy (“Jez”) Baker of Portsmouth was jailed for a year in the autumn, having been filmed taking a bribe in a planning matter.

See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/8275826.stm

MORE ON THE LOCAL SCENE IN BURY ST EDMUNDS.....

BOYCOTT

An unofficial Christmas boycott of the Cattle Market/Arc development is underway amongst town people in Bury St Edmunds. Many people have declared they will not set foot in the development many of its shops and outlets. Others have declared that there is nothing on offer to attract them. One councillor has expressed view that there is nothing to interest anyone over 30 years of age or any woman who does not want to dress ‘like a hooker’.

THE BURY FREE PRESS

The letters page of former Centros ally Bury Free (?) Press has carried numerous negative comments about the development since it has opened and declined to publish anymore (Hint: the Free Press always endeavours to avoid letters that pin-point individual responsibility in the Council as well as the links between Johnson Press, the Miller Group and Centros).
However, even the Free Press has had to tone down its puff pieces, particularly in the wake of the problems engulfing Johnson press.

JOHN GRIFFITHS SHUNS LIMELIGHT

Meanwhile in Bury St Edmunds, Cllr Leader John Griffiths has been avoiding direct exposure in connection with both Cattlemarket and Centros. Instead, he has been making what Lenin termed “useful idiots” in local politics to carry the can for his decisions. Like so many councillors around the country whom Centros have pulled into their net, John Griffiths has been keen to avoid all questioning on the development, including getting his secretary to say he is away on a lengthy holiday. His masters have left him floundering over the link which he repeatedly claimed would be built to allow access between the existing Butter-Market and the new development.

A brief replacement for John Griffiths came in the form of Councillor Sarah Mildmay-White who did not realise she was set up by her own Conservative colleagues to act as apologist for the development. She was thrust briefly into the spotlight, innocently taken the bait like a naive girl lured by white slavers in some 19th-century novella. The attempted sacrifice of Cllr. Mildmay-White was intended to allow John Griffiths and champions to distance themselves from the deeply unpopular development and thereby avoid the political fall-out. Fortunately, she woke up to this and fell silent too.

SHOULD WE TWIN BURY ST EDMUNDS WITH LANCASTER?

On Lancaster City Council, It’s Our City say the following:

“Our Council has shown no interest in meeting the aspirations of Lancastrians during the so-called consultation phase on the development plans as government guidelines require them to do. The ineptitude and secrecy demonstrated by council officers and the ignorance and disinterest shown by councillors towards the people who elected them has painted a picture of a council in a state of severe moral turpitude. “

Should Bury St Edmunds be twinned with Lancaster? We already know there have been contacts between St Edmundsbury planning officers and parties concerned with Lancaster in the past.

TRYING TO SAVE THE LOCAL CASH-COW

However, the reticence of local politicians has not been apparent in the real struggle by St Edmundsbury Centros champions to hold on to their positions, careers, expenses and power on St Edmundsbury Council.

There are few good things that New Labour has done for Suffolk, but the reform of local government in the county will be one legacy that will be appreciated by the vast majority of the population. This will not be translated into votes for the Labour Party but will mean that hopefully local government will become more transparent, less costly, councillors and officers more accountable and it may allow elected councillors to represent their constituents rather than their party or more frequently their own self-interest.

Recently the Griffiths regime has thrown tens of thousands of Council Tax Payers money to prevent the creation of a single unitary authority for all of Suffolk, which would at a stroke destroy the cash cow that is the Borough of St Edmundsbury. Clearly the antics of Griffiths and the cabal who have farmed Bury St Edmunds as their feudal estate since World War II has led central government to finally tire of the large numbers of complaints that they have received, and act to end this mini-fiefdom.

CONSULTANTS CASH IN AND AIM TO DESTROY BURY MARKET

Among the few beneficiaries of the Cattle Market debacle have been consultants who continue to cash in on re-naming and re-branding schemes. Now the latest are consultants looking at ‘options ‘ for the future of the 1000 year old market in Bury St Edmunds. This was reported on the front page of the East Anglian Daily Times on November 16th 2009.

The Knights of St Edmund warned that St Edmunsbury Borough Council was Judas Iscariot as regards the town and its people back in 2005. As we warned then, the ultimate goal of Centros with the Cattle Market/Arc is to destroy Bury St Edmunds as a unique medieval town and to remove its traditional market. The Council champions of Centros have been working to undermine the market in various ways for years now, so don’t be surprised if the consultants they have hired suggest the closure of Bury market shortly. The report will be as independent as a ventriloquist’s dummy and will have the prints of Centros all over it – remember Greenwich?

However, as the events set out herein show Centros and their various champions aren’t getting their own way at all. Things just keep going wrong for them. Indeed, 2010 looks already set to be even more interesting, in the Chinese sense of living in interesting times....

To the glory of God and his beloved servant, King and Martyr, the following Miracles of Saint Edmund are recorded for the year of our Lord AD 2008:

There has been worldwide discussion about the causes underlying the global financial crisis and the so-called credit crunch. But for the towns-folk of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk the explanation for this is to be found not in the world of finance but in far more powerful agent:

To the glory of God and his beloved servant, King and Martyr, the following Miracles of Saint Edmund are recorded for the year of our Lord AD 2008:

Collapse of Debenhams’ Share Prices – free fall as St Edmund strikes
Debenhams shares continued their downward slide, reaching a pitiful 23p yearly low on November 19th the eve of St Edmund’s Feast Day. What more proof do the doubters want? Will Debenhams survive? It is directly attributable to their folly in building on the Cattle Market site, persisting with what is undoubtedly the most hated building in Britain, in conjunction with the most loathed property development company. Debenhams share price can only fall lower, unless they repent and pull out from the cursed Bury St Edmunds development.
SOURCE:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article4983498.ece

Taylor Wimpey losses – profits fall by 96% - 1000 jobs go as St Edmund strikes
Cattle Market builders Taylor Wimpey have been stricken by a collapse of pre-tax profits – some 96% down as at the end of August.
The following month 1000 job losses were announced. As with Debenhams, the value of shares has plummeted.
Perhaps understandably, there appears to have been some slacking with the Cattle Market, which was supposed to have been completed and opened months ago.
Members of the surviving workforce at the cursed site are being ordered to work 12 hour shifts, despite the problems caused for local residents and the contribution to grid-locking the town.
Planning officer champions – who as the more alert have realised run the show at St Edmundsbury - have moved at exemplary speed to please Centros. The race is clearly on to try and open before the ASDA store on Western Way which as everyone has realised will draw trade away from the Cattle Market. Compare and contrast this with the delays by the same planning department officers over the ASDA store application.....
SOURCE:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/2795417/Taylor-Wimpeys-shares-slump-as-profits-drop-96pc.html

The empty tower - only 40% let in cursed Cattle Market as St Edmund strikes
Not surprisingly, empty shops will dominate the Cattle Market development – only 40% let according to reports that have appeared in the Bury Free Press.
What was dubbed as ‘major retailer’ Jane Norman was recently welcomed with mayoral reception (it was noted that John Griffiths, former promoter of clothes and dress shops stood back this time). Amid the froth and foam of publicity spin, Jane Norman is classed as a ‘major retailer’ on account of four shops. It is a sign of our democracy and the poor economic conditions that local politicians are reduced to flogging themselves like characters from ‘Are you being served?’

SOURCE:
http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/Fashion-store-signs-up-for.4691321.jp

Johnston Press in trouble
The Johnston Press, owners of the Bury Free Press and other local papers in areas where Centros have sought to establish themselves, have also suffered financial losses through the year, even forcing them to explain their misfortunes on to the BBC Today Programme in October. They sought to blame the BBC amongst others, but for the folk of St Edmunds town there is another more obvious explanation.

SOURCE:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/johnston-press-revenues-hit-by-property-ad-plunge-1015862.html

The VAT man cometh - Cattle Market hit by £200 000 VAT bill.
Yet another debacle in the saga of the spiralling costs of the cursed Cattle Market development. This story has certainly spread round the country to other Centros development targets, notably Lancaster and Portsmouth. Even the Bury Free Press although it omitted putting it on its website, it had to report this one, with council apologists citing anonymous “advisers” as being behind the debacle. Maybe someone would like to clarify their identity? It may be noted that one of the biggest causes of bankruptcies in the UK are claims brought by VAT and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise.
SOURCE:
http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/VAT-man-chases-council-for.4527991.jp

John Laker quits Centros and then the UK
John Laker, the Centros boss who previously mocked the curse of St Edmund, fled Britain in a surprise move to Ireland in October. The people of Dublin will undoubtedly enjoy the benefit of his robust approach to retail development.
It is suspected that Mr Laker wanted to put some clear blue water – in this case the Irish Sea – between himself and the increasingly over exposed Centros. Flogging shopping centres during the worse retail recession since 1928 is not a great business to be in at the moment.
Laker stepped down after ten years at the helm of Centros, though news of his departure was obscured by the scandal of the tape recording in Portsmouth, which emerged in public the same weekend he left Centros.
In Bury St Edmunds Laker’s departure effectively deprives Council Leader (?) John “You could say we’re all been champions” Griffiths of his key contact at Centros. Like other ‘champions’ around the country Griffiths has been left floundering without direction, being markedly reticent on the Cattle Market lately and leaving more gullible councillors to take the public lead on the development.

SOURCE:
http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2008/10/northern-quarter-close-to-signing-up.html

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?storyCode=3092231

http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=IRELAND-qqqm=news-qqqid=36653-qqqx=1.asp

Iceland blasted – St Edmund’s divine retribution
It will have been noticed that the nation of Iceland has been particularly smitten by the credit crunch. It will be suggested that the effects listed above reflect the global credit crunch and the same will be said of Iceland. However, in Iceland we have a country whose investors bought at least 5% of Debenhams. Again we see the Divine forces at work in defence of St Edmund’s town, a re-enactment of the battle centuries ago between the kingdoms of the Norsemen and St Edmund’s people. Iceland must turn to repentance
For those who wish to explain away all as the coincidence of the credit crunch, it should be remembered that the wrath of St Edmund was apparent long before there was any mention of the global economic problems, as analysis of the falling share prices of the relevant companies shows. Just why have these companies been so spectacularly hit in particular? James Chapter 5, verses 1 to 5 is particularly relevant.
SOURCE:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7784354.stm

Edinburgh risks losing World Heritage Status
At the route of the conspiracy against Bury St Edmunds have been powerful business interests in Scotland (Miller Group, Johnston Press).
The World Heritage watchdog UNESCO is considering stripping Edinburgh of its coveted World Heritage title. One can’t help suspecting that the Miller Group who has built all over Edinburgh and its suburbs are likely to be in the frame when the culprits are named. Clive Islet, Editor at large at Country Life recently referred to “Edinburgh, the most beautiful of our cities, is garroted by a necklace of hideous retail sheds” a process repeated in many other places and in words applicable to developments around Bury St Edmunds “...planners didn’t expect those towns to be inhabited by human beings, because they don’t appear to have been designed for them.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7723840.stm

People want ASDA not the Centros Cattle Market
Clive Aslet might well have had the Cattle Market development in mind as well. This structure has become truly loathed by the people of Bury. The insectoid Debenhams shell is referred to as “the space ship”, “the bug-eyed monster” and “a bowl for spirits/angels to puke in” amongst other colourful descriptions, making it currently the most hated building in England. The wooden structures are referred to as beach huts and not expected to last long.
There is no interest in the opening, people being much more keen on the prospect of the ASDA store on Western Way (which will be cheaper and draw away what little trade the Cattle Market would get).
Town MP David Ruffley has also tacitly shown whose side he is on by keeping well away from the Cattle Market, yet expressing an interest in being at the opening of the ASDA store which he has backed publicly since the spring of 2007. Mr Ruffley will get a lot of support if he backs ASDA; precious little from voters if he embraces the Cattle Market.

Can you hear Centros sing? Male voice choir pulls out of cursed Cattle Market opening
A leading male choir in Bury who were requested to perform at the opening of the Public Building on the Cattle Market have pulled out, the choir declined to attend on discovering – among other things – that the puny 500 seater building would not even have changing rooms. Frankly, such a venue was never viable, although the illusion amongst councilors has ensured that a lot of council tax has gone into private corporate pockets.
-          Contributed

Portsmouth tapes, guns and court actions
Centros found itself at the centre of a renewed storm of allegations in Portsmouth concerning corruption and unlawful activity in respect of the dealings to redevelop the Northern Quarter. The substance of these allegation was been denied by Portsmouth’s MP Michael Hancock who is also a leading member of the City Council.
One of the key matters was evidence that a former Portsmouth City Council Officer Wendy Couch who had been in receipt of undeclared hospitality from Centros. It seems authorities went through the motions of an investigation but decided not to pursue the matter in 2007, although Couch and another senior officer from the council resigned. Denials followed that there had been any wrong doing, which was vigorously challenged by local campaigner Mark Austin who had started a legal action against Hazel Blears in January 2008.
However, the whole story was resurrected when The News, the local paper in Portsmouth on Thursday 2nd October 2008 carried details of an astonishing tape recording containing an admission by a senior officer of the authority Steven Checkley head of Asset Management that there had been ‘a cover up’. Mr. Checkley was then suspended by Portsmouth City Council.
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/Police-handed-39coverup39-tape-played.4558336.jp
It is understood that the office of the Secretary of State Hazel Blears was amongst those scrutinising this tape recording, as she had previously approved the development scheme; also she was facing the civil action in the High Court.
The District Auditors in Portsmouth and in Suffolk were made aware of the situation, since companies involved in Portsmouth – notably Donaldsons – have also made an appearance in Suffolk. St Edmundsbury employed Donaldsons to the tune of at least £35 000, to produce a report on the retail needs of the town. Rather like Billy Bunter’s postal order this report mysteriously kept failing to arrive and this was cited as the reason for the delay to the ASDA scheme by planning officers.
An even more alarming incident for Mr Austin personally was being threatened by an unknown gunman who made threats against his girlfriend and family, telling him to drop his claim.
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/portsmouth/Campaigner-claims-to-be-threat.4651237.jp

Mr Austin next found himself charged by the Hampshire Police with fraud on the day before his High Court appearance against Hazel Blears. On the day before his original appearance he had been landed by a ridiculous costs bill by Portsmouth City’s Solicitors, which was kicked into touch by the High Court for a more realistic contribution towards costs. Mr. Austin told the News “I believe I have become an enemy of the state”.
It might have been hoped that more details would emerge in the High Court on December 1st – 2nd in a claim against Hazel Blears regarding a compulsory purchase order. However the High Court refused an application to adjourn the matter and rejected his case on the grounds that the evidence had not been produced.
This result has been met with claims from Centros that the scheme will now go ahead, amid claims that it will produce 2000 jobs – which seems a conveniently round figure, so round that it may just have been plucked from the air. Meanwhile, it is believed that Mr Austin has vowed to fight on to the European Court a claim which could reveal a number of interesting defects in UK planning law. Regardless of any appeal, many questions remain, including the contents of various reports and documents which have emerged in proceedings and the questions of costs bills served against Mr. Austin, one of which was slashed from over £22 000 to £1 500 by the High Court in April 2008. Questions also remain about the amount of scrutiny that Minister Hazel Blears and her department actually give to applications, the conduct of public inquiries and the civil service response material sent in by the public.
It may be that the High Court challenge in Portsmouth has sent a warning shot to the Government regarding the precarious position it has gotten itself into regarding European law. Interestingly, the latest Queen’s Speech on December 3rd 2008 refers to Government measures to recognise “People Power”.
A Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill will, among other things streamline the way in which local authorities construction contracts are awarded in order to make the system “fairer” for building firms. The Bill is also likely to put a duty on councils to pay attention to resident’s petitions – something that has been solely lacking in Bury St Edmunds in the last five years, to put it mildly.
Even more interesting is the view given by Ministers that there should be a right to call council officers to account at public meetings. In a number of parts of the country, the view will be that this measure can’t be brought in soon enough. However, the loss of the Heritage Protection Bill is a major blow. The excuse given is a lack of clarity over costs to the Government but many suspect that it is a favour to property developers, who will later will be tapped to pay for Labour’s general election bill.

STOP PRESS: Titter ye not – its panto season!
Local campaigner Mike Harding on the 9th December 2008 put a series of questions to St Edmundsbury Council leader John ‘the champion’ Griffiths regarding the link between the cursed cattle-market development and the old historic core of the town. Mr. Griffiths was gamely supported by Joyce Bowes now the only surviving Borough official who has read the contract between the Borough and Centros.
The questions Mike Harding asked but which were not answered were quite simple:

Have all the necessary land and buildings to construct the link been purchased?

Has the final design for the link been agreed and given full planning permission?

Have contractors to build the link been appointed?

NOTES

East

Anglian Daily Times

The News

Lines from ‘Norman and Saxon’ by Rudyard Kipling

never you tell ‘em a lie

07/07/2008

‘Public building’ costs spiral

On the 1st of July St Edmundsbury borough council is planning to vote through another £4 million of your council tax money for the white elephant that will be the new ‘public building’ (sic) and centre piece of the cursed cattle-market development.

Furthermore, the EEDA (East of England Development Agency) has reportedly refused the additional £½ million funding for the development as the political waters have now been so effectively stirred that such a blatant bail-out by regional government is now out of the question. In short regional government is desperately trying to distance itself from the cattle-market development, despite its central role in creating a monster that is literally eating the town of Bury St Edmunds.

As predicted by the Knights of St Edmund, the cost of Bury St Edmund’s own mini-Dome has spiraled upwards from £12 million to a new projected figure of £16 million. This is an increase of 33% since the last ‘readjustment’ of the estimated the cost of the building.

Why is the public building a disaster?

Bury has several existing public venues for concerts, plays, recitals and gigs.
The projected capacity for the building is 500 this is substantially less than the 1000 of the Cathedral or even the newly refurbished Theatre Royal and not much more than the present capacity of the first-floor of the Corn Exchange. Therefore, the capacity does not make sense.

One major tour manager told the Knights

‘A venue of that size is unviable for most acts. The limited size and the fact that it is also run by a local authority make it unsuitable for many tours. This is because it does not make economic sense. In addition, many local authority venues are a nightmare of red tape and are infamous for their enthusiastic application of health and safety regulations or unreasonable demands for prohibitively expensive levels of security. Apart for some notable exceptions, the fact is, promoters avoid local authority venues if they can at all help it.’

Economics dictate that a limited number of seats effects ticket-pricing, as the cost each seat must off-set 1/500th of the cost of running the building each year. This suggests without public-subsidy the cost per ticket for events at the venue must be high in order to generate as much revenue as possible. This may well price many of the public out of the venue, unless subsidised, and, if subsidised, it will have to be paid for by the council-tax payers of the borough for the rest of the life of the buildings.

Whereas the old cattle-market made money for the town, as well as offering the added entertainment of the odd pig breaking out and bolting – something you cannot get in either Oxford Street or Blue water –, the new development is sucking the local economy dry and emptying the civic coffers at an alarming rate.

07/07/2008

Many rivers to cross: Husband of previous chief executive takes wife's job

Even the Knights had to pinch themselves at the announcement that St Edmundsbury borough council had appointed Mr Rivers the husband of the previous chief executive Ms Deborah Cadman to her former job. Mr River’s appointment came after a £25 000 recruitment process paid for by the council taxpayers of Bury St Edmunds. It should be noted that in the not-so-distant past the borough and county council would simply return job applications from relatives who wished to fill a local government post previously held by a member of their family. Already the Bury Free Press has tried to spin the appointment with ingenious reporting and editing, for example the remarks attributed to Councilor Nettleton (see BFP 27.6.08).

The implications are obvious:

Ms Cadman was one of the three officers who signed the development agreement with Centros and knows what was in the secret clauses that were kept from elected councilors As seems likely, St Edmundsbury council is going to answer for its relationship with Centros in court at some stage, with St Edmundsbury having been cited as a party to be served in a judicial review commenced in the High Court in London, coincidentally on June 27th 2008. It will be interesting to see if witness summonses are issued in this case (or any ancillary litigation – including a European challenge). Could Mr River be compelled to testify regarding his wife’s time at the helm of St Edmundsbury as a Centros Champion and regarding directions she issued?

Under English criminal law a husband, quite correctly, cannot be compelled to give evidence against his wife. However, the rules are different in a civil proceeding such as with the judicial review of administrative decisions. In a civil case a party is required to answer any question put to them, with exception of those which might incriminate a witness. Failure to answer a question may lead to punishment for contempt and knowledge of this rule has undoubtedly kept Centros away from the Courts in the past (for instance over Greenwich with an at the court door settlement). Recently we have also seen the costs bill of Ashursts solicitors (also lawyers for the Johnston Press, owners of the Bury Free Press) slashed from £23 000 to £1500 in an related litigation involving the Centros development in Portsmouth. Furthermore, in another case concerning developments in Portsmouth, a High Court master recently ruled against the Council on a point of evidence (further details to follow).

In addition, the High Court may issue mandatory orders (the former writ of mandamus) which compel a public officer to take steps. So how could a chief executive of a council, giving evidence on a former officer’s conduct, be able to do so when the officer whose conduct is under examination is his wife? Moreover, what employee of the borough of St Edmundsbury is going to give evidence against the wife of his boss?

Keep it in the family: the rise of neo-feudalism

Bury politics is dynastic. The Conservative council is led by John Griffiths (aka Son of the Great Leader or ‘Buba’), the son of the town’s former Conservative MP Sir Eldon Griffiths (aka The Great Leader or ‘Boss Hog’). Now the post of chief executive is apparently become the hereditary fief of the house of Cadman-Rivers.

Now the Knights of St Edmund more than most appreciate medieval culture, however, the imposition of this modern neo-feudal elite in the 21st century on Bury St Edmunds is unacceptable. This neo-feudalism does not have the checks and balances that the original enjoyed. For example, no more can the people of Bury drag robber barons in chains through the streets of the town and decapitate them in the market square. No more can a valiant and true Knight, challenge a member of this elite to mortal combat and take their castles, lands, women-folk and titles as a prize. In short, this neo-feudalism is just old fashion feudalism with all the fun bits removed.

You get what you vote for

The only way real change can occur in Bury is at the next council elections in two years time. It is now that people should be considering or approach those who are prepared to stand as independent candidates in each ward of the town at the next election. The only way that things will change is when a group of capable independent councilors are prepared to come forward and challenge the mainstream parties in the borough council and tough enough to face down the officers. This is not a matter of party politics but one where we need candidates that will put loyalty to Bury St Edmund’s before loyalty to party. Local government is not glamorous but until enough candidates of ability and integrity come forward then there will be just more neo-feudalism.

28/06/2008

You can run but you cannot hide

The departure of the borough’s chief executive Deborah Cadman and former chief planning officer Jerry Massey leaves only a single council officer, the borough solicitor Joy Bowes, fully informed of the content of the partly-secret agreement between Centros and St Edmundsbury Borough Council.

Despite the council claiming this information is covered by commercial confidentiality, the Knight’s of St Edmund identify these three individual council officers as all those who read this semi-secret agreement and signed the people of Bury St Edmunds up to the cattle-market development, which will blight the town for 150 years. Not a single elected councilor ever read the full agreement that they voted for.

Deborah Cadman has been booted upstairs to the East of England Development Agency, the shadowy quango that played a pivotal role in the decision to sell off the Manor House museum and build 7000 new homes in Bury St Edmunds. Here she can carry on making decisions to bankroll the cattle market scheme and Centros again – a point that no councilor yet seems to have picked up on. Will it take councilors being made individually liable for costs and damages before they pay attention to what is being done?

It was Deborah Cadman who sought to head off local concerns about the heritage aspect of the agreement and ordered her staff to insure there were no heritage issues that would prevent the development.

Jerry Massey has gone to Norwich to hone his talents on yet another medieval city that clearly needs its guts ripped out by developers. It was Mr Massey’s council team that incorrectly calculated the anticipated cost of the public venue, whose cost is now spiraling out of control and is now seriously suggesting the privatisation of all council car-parks in the town to cover the short-fall in his miscalculation.

Furthermore, it was Jerry Massey and his deputy, Mr Fuller, who then sought to deceive the Planning Committee and people of Bury St Edmunds by claiming that Mr Alan Thomas wrote the archaeology report for the cattle-markets development’s Environmental Impact Assessment.

Unfortunately for these borough officers and the unquestioning Planning Committee before making our FOI request the Knights had had the sense to contact the EIA contractors WSP Environmental, who denied employing an archaeologist to write the EIA in the first place, and also directly contacted archaeologist Mr Alan Thomas and established that he did not write it.

In short we know the information given as a reply to an FOI request was deliberately misleading and originated from Cadman’s instruction to her officers to ensure local concerns about heritage issues should not hold up the project. Therefore, complaints were made to borough solicitor Joy Bowes whose ‘investigation’ produced a post-dated letter from the project manager of WSP Environmental who now changed her original story and claimed that Alan Thomas had undertaken the writing of the archaeological section of the EIA. This was news to Mr Thomas.

Moreover, this flatly contradicted WSP Environmental’s earlier statement “that no archaeologist or member of the Institute of Field Archaeologists” had written the archaeological section of the EIA. Mr Thomas is both a qualified archaeologist and an IFA member, yet his name appears no where in the list of authors of the EIA and strangely the archaeology section of the EIA report looks absolutely nothing like the other archaeology reports that he has written for WSP Environmental. For example, it does not have the same lay-out or his name on the front cover as the others archaeological EIA reports he produced for the same company.

This not only is breach of both national and European planning law but goes against the specific advice of English Heritage’s Inspector, which had been made to Mr Massey in writing at the beginning of the development process that heritage issues had to be properly addressed before planning permission was granted.

The Knights of St Edmund therefore have Cadman, Massey and Bowes bang to rights on the grounds of covering up their original failure to either follow planning law or the English Heritage Inspector’s specific written instruction. This was because a cabal of unelected officers were following a secret agenda, which was even kept from (most of the) elected councilors, in order to push through the cattle-market development irrespective of the law of the land or the will of the people of Bury.

Concerns over these issues were then taken to the Secretary of State in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Successive Ministers were informed that these were not chance events or a local problem, but were typical of the deliberate corner cutting which arises whenever Centros targets a local authority. The Minister has repeatedly avoided addressing these issues and concerns and a result she now finds her self being taken to court over irregularities with the sister scheme to the cattle-market in Portsmouth.

Don’t worry, the Knights of Saint Edmund nor the people of Bury St Edmunds are not going to forget Ms Cadman or Mr Massey in a hurry, but as Christians we believe it is our duty to seek to save unrepentant sinners for the redemption of the souls. As far as the Knights are concerned this is democracy we are fighting for and there is little point in sending young men and women to die in Basra or Helmand for democracy, when those of us left behind are not prepared to fight for democracy in our own town.

Deus Lo Volt!

27/06/2008

The curse in action: the blessed martyr’s been busy!

Cattle-market is at least 34 weeks behind schedule

The on-going contractual dispute between Centros and builders Taylor Woodrow has seen the opening date of the cattle-market development put back by some 34 weeks. Agents have informed the Knights that there is often virtually no-one on site and that if Taylor Woodrow were really going all out to finish the development then more workers could be brought in to finish the project. The dispute and delays are only adding to the spiraling costs of the development which the Council Tax payers may well be picking up.

ASDA threatens cattle-market’s profitability

The new ASDA planned for Bury is a serious threat to the profitability of the whole cattle-market development. The loss of trade to a store that prides itself on good value will directly impact on the rents that the cattle-market can expect to command and undermine the whole economics of the cattle-market development. The deliberate feet dragging over ASDA’s and other retail planning applications in the town it is the public have gained the impression that an allegedly free-market Conservative council is trying to protect the cattle-market development’s rental income from potential rivals by means of the planning process.

East Anglian Daily Times leaks Public Venue’s financial crisis

A secret internal council memo was leaked to the EADT. This reveals that Jerry Massey has suggested to councilors that the privatisation of Bury’s council car-parks is one of four options being considered to plug the short fall for the cattle-markets ‘public venue’ (sic). The outfitting costs for the venue are estimated by Massey at £8 million but given the increase cost of the original build this estimate is treated with considerable skepticism by many, who anticipate the same trajectory of spiraling costs will over take this budget as it did the cost for the original building and thereby increase the shortfall.

Former-Councilor Ames bang on target

The much respected local former councilor and local School teacher Mr Ames was bang on target when he recently condemned the cattle-market development. Mr Ames was never a keen supporter of the development and became disillusion in being turned in to a rubber stamp for officer’s decisions, which he could not in conscience support. The Knights welcome his more combative attitude.

Secretary of State in High Court over Centros Scheme

The cattle-market’s twin of evil in Portsmouth has landed Hazel Blears up before a High Court judge. The confirmation by her of a compulsory purchase order by Portsmouth City Council is being challenged by a statutory appeal. In a bizarre twist to this story, Portsmouth City Council insisted that they also share the dock with the motor-cycling minister. Portsmouth City Council Tax payer’s money is being squandered because some Council Officers wish the Portsmouth Council to become defendants in High Court proceedings against the minister.

Judge slashes Portsmouth's City Council/Centros/Johnston Press lawyer’s bill

The revelation that Portsmouth City Council, Centros and Johnston Press all share the same lawyers, Ashursts, was pretty shocking. However, the £23 000 expenses demanded by Ashursts from Mr Mark Austin, for daring to bring this statutory appeal, were described in court as ‘extraordinary’ by the High Court judge, who ordered Mr Austin’s liability be limited to £1500. The Solicitors Journal is currently investigating this extraordinary use of defence expense claims to apparently intimidate a litigant the day before he was due to face them across a court room.

Centros knocked back in Dumfries

Centros have seen their plans in Dumfries in Scotland fail following Miller Group pulling out of the unprofitable retail development sector and selling their share in Centros-Miller. The Scottish connection is now severed.

Local campaigns in Wells and York start up against Centros developments

Proposed new Centros developments in York and Wells have sparked new campaign groups by the outraged citizens of these ancient cities. This means that there are currently local community-based campaigns against Centros developments in Bury St Edmunds, Lancaster, Portsmouth, Wells and York.

Credit crunch hits Portsmouth development

Portsmouth newspaper the News on the 29th March 2008 ran a major feature highlighting major problems with Centros’ development in Portsmouth that call in question the future of the entire scheme. These include problems arising from the credit crunch which even Steve Bryson had admitted were a problem affecting Centros in statements released on the 17th March 2008. However, the Bury Free Press has chosen to shut its eyes and run puff-pieces implying that no such problems exist with the cattle-market.

Collateral damage: Johnson Press

Johnson Press has suffered from the fall-out from the curse of St Edmund. They are in deep trouble with their flag-ship title the Scotsman. Furthermore, it is noticeable that in Bury St Edmunds the Johnson owned Bury Free Press, which sold land to Centros for their development and therefore has a clear financial interest in the success of the development, has been its most vocal supporter. By contrast the Johnson owned The News in Portsmouth has backed away rapidly from its previous support and its policy of refusing to print articles critical of Centros and Portsmouth City Council. The first newspaper to break the news of the Curse of St Edmund was the Edinburgh Evening News north of the border and six weeks later Johnson Press bought out the Edinburgh Evening News to effectively silence damaging criticism of both Centros and the Miller Group.

Collateral damage: John Lewis

John Lewis group’s flag-ship store at Centros’ development in Portsmouth is rumoured to be in doubt as a result of the retail recession massively cutting the group’s business.

Debenhams shares remained cursed

Since it became Debenhams PLC with an issue price of £2.50 to £1.95 the cattle-market developments principal unrepentant sinner has seen its share price slashed to 45p. An enormous loss compared with the original share issue value. The retail recession offers little comfort for Debenhams PLC but the Knights prefer to see the hand of the Saint at work against those who wish to impose the cattle-market on his town and people.

14/02/2008 - Valentine's Day
THE CURSE OF ST EDMUND AND DEBENHAMS’ WEDDING DRESSES

MODERN FOLK TRADITION IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND CLAIMS:
“IT’S CONSIDERED BAD LUCK FOR A BRIDE TO BUY HER WEDDING DRESS FROM DEBENHAMS”

One of the most remarkable signs of on-going Curse of St Edmund and its effects upon Debenhams is the growing belief in the north of England that “it is bad luck for a bride to buy her wedding clothes from Debenhams”.
This belief was first recorded in York at the end of September 2007. The informant was a young lady in her 20’s who comes from Leeds who is planning to get married in 2008. Her view reflects a growing view in the north of England that it is unlucky for a bride- to-be to shop for a Wedding Dress at Debenhams.

CORONATION STREET’ FEATURES A CURSED WEDDING DRESS FROM DEBENHAMS

Such is the strength of the belief – or as we would prefer to see it an example of Saint’s power or Providence – that the motif of a cursed Debenhams wedding dress featured in a sub-plot of veteran TV soap “Coronation Street” in the autumn of 2007. Normally, Coronation Street scrupulously avoids ‘product placement’ but the case of the blighted wedding dress purchased from Debenhams by one of the characters became a saga in itself. In the story, the Debenhams dress became embroiled in various evil actions and disasters for the characters. Coronation Street websites carried excited summaries of the events such as:
"BONFIRE GUY FAWKES are usually dressed in old rags, a pair of shoes with holes in them and dirty trousers that no-one wants anymore. But on Coronation Street, the bonfire Guy was dressed up in style. In a haunting replay of Richard Hillman driving the Platt clan into the canal back in 2003, David Platt sabotaged his sister’s wedding by driving his car into the canal as Sarah and Jason were exchanging “I do’s” at the altar. His evil plot to ruin his sister’s life then took a step up when he dressed the Guy Fawkes in Sarah’s wedding dress. ... Oh, he’s evil that David, but such good fun to watch. The newlywed Mr and Mrs Grimshaw went on their honeymoon to the Lake District to get away from deranged David but were soon back on the cobbles when the heat from their marital passion failed to warm them both up."
(From “Coronation Street Monthly Update” Dec 2007: http://www.ujnews.com/html/StreetDec07.shtml

Another ‘Corrie’ website reveled in how:
"Sarah (Tina O’Brien) has arranged to have some wedding pictures taken outside the church as they missed out on the actual day, and gives Jason (Ryan Thomas) her wedding dress to take to the dry cleaners. Much to David’s (Jack P Shepherd) delight, Jason accidentally leaves it in the cafe. David wastes no time nabbing the dress dragging it through muddy puddles and throwing it over the Morton’s bag of cast offs for their Guy Fawkes"

Ultimately, the Debenhams dress was placed on a particularly satanic looking Guy Fawkes effigy and burned before the “whole Street” and millions of viewers for November 5th.

The fact that the Coronation Street script writers chose to incorporate a Debenhams wedding dress into the storyline shows how far the belief that Debenhams clothing is some way cursed or supernaturally blighted has grown. More seriously, those who put their trust in the Divine and the powers of the Saints will see the workings of Providence. Either consciously or unconsciously, the script writers may be seen as allies and servants of the Blessed Saint.

This striking story line and the associated belief were discussed by people present at a lecture given by the Folklore Society in November 2007 and the matter is being reported to editor of Folklore. Nor are complaints over Debenhams clothing confined to soap operas or academic discussion. A growing number of dissatisfied customers are making public their complaints about Debenhams and its service on the internet, quite apart from the complaints circulating in the north of the country and the former Viking lands.

ST EDMUND’S CURSE ON THE BRIDAL PARTIES AT HOXNE BRIDGE

For the Knights of St Edmund these are not mere random events or accidents but represent the working of the power of St Edmund against those who would despoil his town. For those who have eyes to see, we point to the long established tradition of St Edmund’s curse upon bridal parties at Hoxne in Suffolk.

The story holds that when in 869 St Edmund sheltered beneath Hoxne Bridge he was betrayed by a passing bridal party who saw the glint of his spurs reflected in the water. The treacherous bridal party informed the Danes who discovered the Saint and martyred him in the village. As he was taken away St Edmund cursed the bridal party and the bridge over which they crossed. To this day on their wedding days all bridal parties avoid the Goldbrook Bridge as a route to the church, no matter how a long a detour is necessary. Obviously, the bride in the Dark Ages would not have been wearing a Debenhams wedding dress but the resonance of the power of the Saint spreads across the ages.


	Hoxne plaque showing St Edmund hiding under Goldbrook bridge being betrayed by the Bride and wedding party.

Image from : http://www.suffolkcam.co.uk/hoxne25052002.htm

Deus lo Volt!

21/01/2008

CURSE OF ST EDMUND DRIVES MILLER GROUP FROM TOWN

HAIL THE VICTORIOUS KING!

A third of the forces of darkness have been smashed by our King and most beloved holy martyr, St Edmund of East Anglia! The Scottish builders, Miller Group, one of the three companies cursed by the Knights of St Edmund at his feast day on the 21st November 2005, have thrown in the towel and sold up their half of Centros Miller to their partners Delancey Estates Ltd.

KNIGHTS CELEBRATE A FAMOUS VICTORY

Not since the battle of Fornham on the 17th October 1173 has St Edmund so spectacularly routed foreign invaders from the field of battle. The Knights, as mere instruments of St Edmund’s holy justice, fell upon their knees to give thanks to the Lord God and St Edmund for this crushing victory and celebrated that a sinner had repented. There is no question that Miller Group’s have sought salvation and turned from wickedness as a direct result of the curse laid upon them. It also means that the link between the Bury Free Press, Johnston Press and the cattle-market development has now been irrevocably broken.

GOD LOVES A SINNER WHO REPENTS

The Miller Group’s withdrawal from the blasphemous cattle-market development is just the start, with Christian charity we wish the Miller family well and will be writing to inform them that the anathema laid upon them will now be lifted, as we have promised. We hope that their repentance is truly sincere and that they are perhaps wiser as a result of the Saint’s punishment, evidenced by the family’s recent internal discord and divisions.

A BATTLE IS WON BUT THE WAR CONTINUES

With a third of the enemy now quit the field of battle, only two recaltant companies remain, Debenhams PLC and Centros Miller-Delancey Estates Ltd., who sadly continue to wallow in their sinful disdain for the Saint and their anti-democratic conspiracy against the people of his town. This allows the Knights to redouble our efforts on the two remaining despoilers of the Saint’s town, which greatly assists us in our struggle on behalf of the holy martyr and the townsfolk of Bury St Edmunds.

REJOICE!

This is a great victory. It is right and proper to celebrate with much Wassailing and the beating of swords on shields. This is a vindication the Lord God, the blessed martyr St Edmund, his Knights and the good folk of Bury St Edmunds. It will go down in our town’s long history as the beginning of the end of the cattle-market development.

Deus lo Volt!

14/12/2007

REPENT DEBENHAMS FOR THE CURSE OF ST EDMUND IS UPON YOU THIS CHRISTMAS

KNIGHTS OF ST EDMUND LAUNCH "OPERATION JACOB MARLEY" TO INFORM SHOPPERS OF THE CURSE AND DEBENHAMS EMPLOYEES OF THE CURSE AS DEBENHAM SHARES PLUNGE

As the Knights of St Edmund warned, the wrath of God and the Curse of St Edmund has descended upon Debenhams this Christmas time 2007-2008.

The price of Debenhams shares have plunged yet further in value in the run-up to Christmas, reaching a low of 80p as of Tuesday December 11th 2007, as a result of the Curse of St Edmund.

As a consequence of this Providential intervention, the Knights of St Edmund will be launching "Operation Jacob Marley" to call Debenhams to repentance at selected branches of Debenhams around the UK. It will be reminder of their past actions, a reminder of the curse and its effects at the present time and a warning of the even more serious consequences to come. As the Knights warned in November 2005, nothing built upon the cursed Cattle Market development will ever prosper.
Operation Jacob Marley will include the following:

The Knights of St Edmund will conduct Christian prayers to call Debenhams to repentance and renounce their plans to desecrate the sacred town of Bury St Edmunds
The Knights of St Edmund will hold prayer meetings outside selected Debenhams stores urging the company to repent
Leaflets will be given to shoppers urging them to join in prayer and informing them of the operation of the Curse of St Edmund
Debenhams employees will also be sent the same message in the hope that wiser counsel will prevail within the company before it is too late.

Only if Debenhams repents of its sacrilege in joining the cursed Cattle Market scheme, renounces its sin and acts to respects the wishes of the people of Bury St Edmunds will the effects of the Curse be relieved.

14/12/2007

CURSE HITS MILLER GROUP FAMILY

MILLER GROUP FAMILY MEMBERS BECOME AWARE OF THE CURSE IN THEIR MIDST

Once more the impact of the Curse of St Edmund can be seen at work on those named in the Ritual of Commination celebrated on St Edmund's Day 2005.

Reports of a serious split within the Miller Group about the future of the company have received extensive coverage.
See for instance:
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/business.cfm

http://business.scotsman.com/economy.cfm

http://business.scotsman.com/management.cfm

http://ukpress.google.com/article/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/11/20/cnmiller120.xml

http://business.scotsman.com/management.cfm?id=1829422007

http://www.contractjournal.com/Articles/2007/11/19/56843/

http://www.business-sale.com/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/

http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=284

http://www.theherald.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1844613.mostviewed.familyfirm_feud

Keith Miller was quoted "We're hugely disappointed that this has been taken into the public arena. It has damaged our family reputation. It is damaging to our business."

As the Knights of St Edmund warned at the time and since, destruction of property is among the effects of the curse of St Edmund upon those who desecrate the liberty of St Edmund. As the Knights warned, the real question is not whether the Curse works, it is on how many generations will it fall?

The fact this dispute has broken out suggests that at least some of the Miller family may be aware of the seriousness of their situation and that the effects of the Curse of St Edmund cannot be escaped. Doubtless the collapse of in the value Debenhams shares has had an influence. Similarly, one cannot escape the suspicion that the growing exposures of the behaviour of Centros Miller in Portsmouth, Bury St Edmunds and elsewhere has shaken confidence to breaking point.

Even the Bury Free Press (part of the Johnston Press) was forced to comment on the row within the Miller Group family, and even a spokesperson from St Edmundsbury Borough Council was claiming the row wouldn't affect the Cattle Market "in anyway whatsoever" (not that they would be allowed to say anything else).

But these events - together with the collapse of Debenhams shares - are further evidence of why the only hope for the Miller Group is to abandon the Cattle Market development, pack up and go back to o Scotland.

06/12/2007

There is a house in Bury St Edmunds they call the Rising Sun.....mothers tell your children not to do what I just done.


	16^th century Rising Sun Public House

An important public cultural asset

The family-run Rising Sun public house is a listed building within the town's conservation area and one of the architectural jewels of Bury St Edmunds. It is a 16th century timber framed Inn with original mullion window frames, a high-arched coach entrance accessing a court-yard and wonderfully carved original Tudor doorhead and jams. For the price of a pint of IPA a happy half an hour can be passed exploring the internal framing and room layout evidenced in the pub's two bar-rooms.

Before the demise of the cattle-market, Wednesday would see the bar of this Greene King pub packed with farmers, stockmen and market visitors. The closure of the cattle-market killed off this mid-week trade and forced the licensee to change the business in order for the pub to remain a viable. The publican, Mr Bob Hitching, successfully developed live music evenings on Friday and Saturday nights aimed at an older clientele. These have proved remarkably successful and many weekends saw the pub packed with people young and old enjoying a wide range of live music.

Council's sudden removal of music license

It was therefore an enormous surprise to every one when the Council suddenly removed the pub's music license following a single complaint, especially given the length of time that the pub has had live music on Friday and Saturday evenings without complaint or trouble. Furthermore, an 800 signature petition protesting against the loss of the music license was simply ignored by the Borough Council.

As a result, Mr Hitching has had to give up the tenancy of this successful pub after more than a hundred and fifty years of it being held by his family. This is a major and very sad blow for the viability of the pub as a business. Curiously Greene King has actively encouraged Mr Hitching to quit rather than the brewery using their considerable local clout to challenge the removal of the music license.

The effects of the cattle-market development

The timing of all this is very curious when seen in light of the cattle-market redevelopment by Centros Miller. The news from the site is that the major structural problem encountered by the builders is due to much of the land being made-up ground of backfilled chalk workings rather than solid chalk. This has prevented the construction of the planned underground car park at the Centros Miller development. As a result the cattle-market development is to be now served by a new multi-storey car park at the rear of the former Roys supermarket. The problem is access between this new multi-storey car park and the new shopping development planned by Centros Miller.

The ideal property to provide the link between the car parking and the new cattle-market shopping development just happens to be the Rising Sun public house, which due to the single complaint and collusion of Greene King has now become unviable as a public house and shortly to become vacant.


	Google map showing the location of the Rising Sun

The future options for this land-mark building is either a gastro-pub, if it remains in Greene King's hands, or redevelopment 'for mixed office, retail and residential use', if acquired by Centros Miller, or one of its agents. However, the location makes it one of the most sought after pieces of real estate in the county and essential to Centros Miller's planned development, because without adequate car-parking people will not shop at the new cattle-market development. Given the complete failure of Borough officers and councilors to anticipate and mitigate the impact on the town's cultural assets and historic buildings of the cattle-market development, we may yet see the Borough Council giving permission for demolition of the Rising Sun to assist their contractual partners with their fly-by-wire development.

This proposal was not part of the original planning application submitted by Centros Miller and the people of Bury St Edmunds were not informed about loss or the change of use of this major town landmark when Halogen undertook their much vaunted but completely unrepresentative consultation exercise.
No Borough councilor from the wards blighted by these inappropriate developments sits upon the Borough planning committee and therefore cannot directly represent the interests of the hundreds of Bury residents affected by the proposed development of the multi-storey car park.
Greene King likes to play up the company's historic connections with the town when they are making money from it but, as their vandalism of the interior of the Dog and Partridge and now their abandonment of Mr Hitching and the Rising Sun demonstrates, they are less willing to face their own responsibility in preserving loyal tenants, their own historic public houses and the town's historic land marks even within the town's conservation area.
The failure by the officers and planning committee to insist on an archaeological and historical building survey by Centros Miller before granting the original planning permission means that the Borough's tax payers may find themselves once again picking up the bill for the preservation of the Rising Sun as they have for the Roundhouse on the cattle-market.
The multi-storey car-park was pushed through the Borough planning committee in September 2005, irrespective of the sixty-eight objections that have been lodged by the people living around it. This is because Borough officers told the elected members who objected that they could not vote, whilst the rest were brow beaten into accepting the argument that they have no choice but to grant planning permission or the development will fail and they will be sued. It remains a great pity that not a single councilor actually bothered to read the contract between the Borough and Centros-Miller before signing it.
The use of its licensing powers to further the cattle-market development however, sees the Borough reach an all time low, but given the single representation in favour of the multi-storey car-park to the Borough planning committee came from Centros Miller a pattern appears to be developing. As to the single complaint leading to the loss of the Rising Sun's live music license, many wonder if the night security guard at the cattle-market development site could really hate adult orientated rock; that much?
These events leave many residents and family-run businesses in the town fearful and wondering who next will be sacrificed by the Borough Council to satisfy the insatiable demands of Centros Miller's cattle-market development. It should be noted that this is not the first hundred and fifty year-old family-run business that Centros Miller snuffed out, remember Goddard's pie-shop in Greenwich? The increased rents demanded by Centros Miller sadly drove it out of business at the earlier this year.

'First they came for the £200, and I did not speak-up, because I thought it was better to pay up rather than argue when they knocked down great grandmother's headstone with a JCB.
Then they came for the Moyses Hall, and I did not speak-up, because I am not going to West Stow to pay to see what I use to be able to see for free.
Then they came for the Manor House museum, and I did not speak-up, because I am not that keen on clocks, paintings and old dresses.
Then they came for the Rising Sun, and I did not speak-up, because I am not a fan of Country and Western or Rock and Roll.
Then they hiked my rent/ removed my license/ called in my loan/ made me redundant/ had my home or business subject to a compulsory purchase order/ treated me like a person from Portsmouth, and I wanted to speak-up, there was nothing and no-one left to speak for me'.

(With apologies to Pastor Martin Niemöller, a victim of the Nazis).

01/10/2007

Curse in action: Debenhams shares collapse under St Edmund’s curse

On the 21st November 2005 the Knights of St Edmund, their supporters and fellow citizens laid the curse of St Edmund upon three organisations – the Miller Group, Centros Miller and Debenhams, the lead store in the much hated cattle-market redevelopment.


	(Source: BBC Debenhams share prices for the twelve months ending 25/09/07)

At the time Debenhams was a privately owned company, but in May 2006 Debenhams PLC was floated upon the London Stock Exchange at a price of £2.50 to £1.95 per share. On 25th September 2007 those same shares are now trading at £0.90, a loss of £1.60 to £1.05 (or 64% of value) on every share purchased.

In the face of this financial disaster shouldn’t Debenhams share-holders be insisting that the directors lift the Saint’s curse by abandoning their role as the lead store in the cattle-market development in Bury St Edmund? We can assure Debenhams that should they walk away from the Centros Miller’s undemocratic desecration of St Edmund’s town then their worries will be at an end and they will be freed from the Saint’s curse and his righteous anger.

However, if Debenhams PLC wishes to carry on their blasphemous behaviour, then the downward spiral to final ruination at the hand of St Edmund’s righteous anger will continue. For Debenhams PLC the choice is stark, either repent and prosper, or remain cursed and face ruin.

01/08/2007

We are the champions!

On the 11th April 2006 managing director of Centros- Miller Mr John Laker stated:

'If a scheme is going to happen then you need a champion in the council - and that can be either a councilor or an officer'.

So concerned were the Knights of St Edmund by the implication of what Mr Laker had claimed representatives from the knights contacted the then relevant minister, Ms. Ruth Kelly MP, and asked her where in UK planning law the words "champion" actually occurs (everyone else has to queue up for planning permission). Ms Kelly in a deft move washed her hands of our letter by passing it down to her regional office in true Pontius Pilate style and we received a letter in civil-service speak noting our concerns from Cambridge but not answering any of the key questions raised.

Weaker souls may have balked at this apparent bureaucratic en passé, but the Knights of Saint Edmund, fearing in the Lord and trusting in the just cause of our blessed saint and martyr, responded by launching Operation Heretic.

The objectives of part one of Operation Heretic were three fold:

Identify Mr Laker's "champions" in local authorities where Centros Miller had previously undertaken development projects.
Identify any irregularities in the project or problems with the project where Centros Miller had previously undertaken a development, taking special note of persons who had "eased the way", relevant heritage issues and how they had been bypassed and how local opposition.
Identify the consequences which follow from becoming a Centros Miller champion.

Operation Heretic remains current, but the following may be noted of some of those "champions" identified.

Champion of Kidderminster - dies

The late Cllr. Mike Oborski was the man who worked so hard to push through the demolition of the 19th-century listed Piano Building in Kidderminster, which somewhat fortuitously and inexplicably burnt down shortly having been listed. As yet no-one has been arrested for this arson attack. Mr Oborski, a fervent Polish and British patriot and the Liberal Party Councilor, passed away in February. He had boasted of being proud of the new cinema-complex and shopping centre built upon the site of the now burnt-out and demolished Piano Building development, courteously of Centros Miller, in the face of fierce local opposition.

http://archive.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk/2002/7/18/260365.html
http://archive.bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk/2002/7/18/260402.html
http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/home/standard-news-comms.htm?id=106094&WT.svl=106094

Champion of Boston - in court about a brown envelope

The present chief executive of Carmarthen Council and former chief executive of Boston local authority, where he over saw the long delayed Centros Miller shopping development in that city, Mr Mark James has been busy in court after Mr Green, a multi-millionaire property developer, tried to pass via Mr Mark's secretary £5000 in £20 notes in a brown envelope marked 'strictly private and confidential'.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/6121188.stm

Mr Green was subsequently found not guilty claiming 'naivety' and it was in fact a gift "for charity".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/6135904.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/6126234.stm

Mr Mark James has also been recently been accused of misrepresenting opinion in the town about the Carmarthen cattle-market development, in a letter to Charles the Prince of Wales. The good folk of Carmarthen are also battling an unwanted development of a Debenhams superstore in the heart of their historic town had lobbied the Prince as his subjects. Being a good sort HRH wrote raising the issue with CEO only to be told everyone in Carmarthen was committed to the project. Uproar duly broke out with angry Welsh and English inhabitants equally outraged at the misrepresentation of the towns view by Mr Mark James. This did not stop him being pronounced the top chief executive of all Welsh councils. Curiously every single council officer involved in Centros Miller Boston development has now left Boston council.

Champion of Lancaster - removed by the people

News reached the knights that Cllr. Ian Barker, council leader, leader of the Labour group and five of his colleagues were swept from power in a Green Party landslide on Lancaster Council.

http://www.lancastergreenparty.org.uk/2007/05/03/keep-lancaster-special/

The Greens had campaigned against the Centros Miller development in the town and now with twelve councilors hold the balance of power on the hung council. The knights offer praise to the Lord and the blessed Edmund for this great victory. The knights offer their heartiest congratulations to the good folk of the noble city of Lancaster and all those who battle the forces of darkness within the Duchy.

According to a report received from the knight's sources in the fair city, the day after his defeat, ex-Cllr. Ian Barker was seen down on his allotment burning documents - got to stay carbon neutral! Lancaster Civic Society is a member of the developer front organisation English Historic Towns Forum and Johnston Press PLC own the Lancaster Evening Post and Lancaster Guardian as well as numerous Newspaper titles in the county.

Champion of Bury?

"The scheme has considerable cross-party support so it could be argued the council as a whole is acting as "champion" for this development".

Cllr. John Griffiths, chairman of the cattle-market redevelopment working party, leader of the Conservative group and leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council
2nd August 2006 East Anglian Daily Times, page 13.

JEREMIAH 6:15 "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD".

ROMANS 12:19 "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the LORD".

Welcome to our website

Welcome to the new web-page established by the Knights of St Edmund. This page has been set-up as part of the on-going campaign against the cattle-market development that is taking place in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. Until now the propaganda battle for the development has been one-sided. The developer Centros Miller has employed media consultants, a public relations company and the local press to argue for their vision for the future of Bury St Edmunds.

Despite the media campaign, on the three separate occasions that the people of Bury St Edmunds have had a vote on the development they have overwhelmingly rejected it.

In the course of opposing this scheme masses of information have become available that reveal major problems with the development. It is the intention of this web-page to put before the people of Bury St Edmunds and the rest of the country the facts about this development. However, unlike the politicians, council officials, press officers, consultants, developers and civil servants who insist this development must go ahead, the public have nothing to gain only something precious to lose and that is one of the most distinctive, remarkable, beautiful and historic towns of Europe.

Unless Centros Miller Ltd, Miller Group and Debenhams do not abandon all plans they have for the Bury cattle-market and vow to leave the town forever, before close of business on Friday 18th November 2005, the Knights of St Edmund will unleash the curse of St Edmund against them.

The Curse is now operational: See: http://www.eadt.co.uk/ (East Anglia Daily Times 21/11) and http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/

Welcome - Homepage

"Deus Lo Volt!"

Curse Counter

Quote

Welcome to the Knights of St Edmund's Homepage

In celebration of St Edmund’s Day 2011 and the on-going glorious intervention of God’s power.

THE CENTROS EFFECT – Skilled, experienced, approachable..... and cursed

ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL – WHAT IS ITS ROLE?

HISTORIC TOWNS FORUM

FOOTNOTE

Say a Prayer and Light a Candle this St Edmund’s Day 20th November 2010

CENTROS QUIT BURY ST EDMUNDS — GOOD RIDDANCE

TOWN CENTRE MANAGER QUITS

LANCASTER COLLAPSE FOR CENTROS

Woe unto Centros in Portsmouth

2011 AND THE SITUATION IN BURY

ATTACKS ON BURY MARKET RESISTED

DEBENHAMS BUILDING

ST EDMUNDSBURY CATHEDRAL EMBRACES THE LOCAL SAINT

Dismay for Debenhams

To the Glory of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and to our Blessed Saint Edmund King and Martyr, the following matters are hereby recorded for 2009 at the feast day of St Edmund November 20th and prayers of thanks offered:

LOCAL FEELINGS

CRACKS APPEAR

CATTLEMARKET /ARC BUILDER COLLAPSES

“ONE OF THE PLANNING FIASCOS OF THE DECADE” - COLLAPSE OF THE CENTROS SCHEME AT LANCASTER

DEBENHAMS PROBLEMS CONTINUE

IPSWICH DEBENHAMS ‘UNLUCKY’

BRITISH LAND

PORTSMOUTH COUNCILLOR JAILED

MORE ON THE LOCAL SCENE IN BURY ST EDMUNDS.....

BOYCOTT

THE BURY FREE PRESS

JOHN GRIFFITHS SHUNS LIMELIGHT

SHOULD WE TWIN BURY ST EDMUNDS WITH LANCASTER?

TRYING TO SAVE THE LOCAL CASH-COW

CONSULTANTS CASH IN AND AIM TO DESTROY BURY MARKET

To the glory of God and his beloved servant, King and Martyr, the following Miracles of Saint Edmund are recorded for the year of our Lord AD 2008:

‘Public building’ costs spiral

Many rivers to cross: Husband of previous chief executive takes wife's job

The implications are obvious:

Keep it in the family: the rise of neo-feudalism

You get what you vote for

You can run but you cannot hide

The curse in action: the blessed martyr’s been busy!

Cattle-market is at least 34 weeks behind schedule

ASDA threatens cattle-market’s profitability

East Anglian Daily Times leaks Public Venue’s financial crisis

Former-Councilor Ames bang on target

Secretary of State in High Court over Centros Scheme

Judge slashes Portsmouth's City Council/Centros/Johnston Press lawyer’s bill

Centros knocked back in Dumfries

Local campaigns in Wells and York start up against Centros developments

Credit crunch hits Portsmouth development

Collateral damage: Johnson Press

Collateral damage: John Lewis

Debenhams shares remained cursed

MODERN FOLK TRADITION IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND CLAIMS: “IT’S CONSIDERED BAD LUCK FOR A BRIDE TO BUY HER WEDDING DRESS FROM DEBENHAMS”

CORONATION STREET’ FEATURES A CURSED WEDDING DRESS FROM DEBENHAMS

ST EDMUND’S CURSE ON THE BRIDAL PARTIES AT HOXNE BRIDGE

CURSE OF ST EDMUND DRIVES MILLER GROUP FROM TOWN

HAIL THE VICTORIOUS KING!

KNIGHTS CELEBRATE A FAMOUS VICTORY

GOD LOVES A SINNER WHO REPENTS

A BATTLE IS WON BUT THE WAR CONTINUES

REJOICE!

REPENT DEBENHAMS FOR THE CURSE OF ST EDMUND IS UPON YOU THIS CHRISTMAS

KNIGHTS OF ST EDMUND LAUNCH "OPERATION JACOB MARLEY" TO INFORM SHOPPERS OF THE CURSE AND DEBENHAMS EMPLOYEES OF THE CURSE AS DEBENHAM SHARES PLUNGE

CURSE HITS MILLER GROUP FAMILY

MILLER GROUP FAMILY MEMBERS BECOME AWARE OF THE CURSE IN THEIR MIDST

There is a house in Bury St Edmunds they call the Rising Sun.....mothers tell your children not to do what I just done.

An important public cultural asset

Council's sudden removal of music license

The effects of the cattle-market development

Curse in action: Debenhams shares collapse under St Edmund’s curse

We are the champions!

Champion of Kidderminster - dies

Champion of Boston - in court about a brown envelope

Champion of Lancaster - removed by the people

Champion of Bury?

Welcome to our website

MODERN FOLK TRADITION IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND CLAIMS:
“IT’S CONSIDERED BAD LUCK FOR A BRIDE TO BUY HER WEDDING DRESS FROM DEBENHAMS”