Her Majesty the Queen is in Newmarket today and thousands of people are expected to line the high street to welcome her.
Road Closures and where to park
• The Rous Road car park in Newmarket has been closed to the public since 4pm yesterday and will remain shut until this evening, due to its proximity to the National Heritage Centre.
People are advised to use other car parks in the town or park at The Severals which will serve as a temporary car park today. For full details on Newmarket’s car parks see here.
• The High Street will be closed from 10.30am to 11.30am today to allow the Queen’s car to pass through. It will be shut from The Avenue to the junction with Old Station Road. A diversion route will be in place.
What is happening?
• The Queen will unveil a new statue of herself with a mare and foal in Birdcage Walk. The statue is a gift in celebration of her birthday and her lifetime’s dedication to the thoroughbred horse.
• From there, she will travel down the High Street in the car, where thousands are expected to be waving flags and welcoming her to the town.
• She will then arrive at the recently-opened National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art to officially open it and take a tour.
Do I need to pay for anything?
• No, Newmarket Town Council has spent £25,000 on the day, including buying thousands of flags that will be distributed by army and sea cadets. The town council has also paid for refreshments that will be served in the memorial hall.
When is this all happening?
• Exact timings cannot be given, but Suffolk Punches will parade down the High Street at 10.30am, once the road has been closed and at the same time the Royal Hospital School Band will strike up near the Bill Tutte Memorial.
Where should I go?
There will be clear directions on the day, but the public will line both sides of the High Street in what has been labelled a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” by the town’s mayor Andy Drummond.
If I can’t make it, how can I stay up to date?
• Follow a live feed on www.eadt.co.uk as well as @EdCrosthwaite and @cshimwell on Twitter.
• Pick up a copy of Friday’s East Anglian Daily Times for full coverage and pictures.
• Follow the EADT’s Instagram page for instant pictures of the visit.
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