Multiple towns and boroughs are facing budgetary challenges which have seen them pull light switch-ons completely, leading to accusations they are 'cancelling Christmas'.
Medway Council in Kent was just the latest to axe light switch-ons this week . Has your local council cancelled its Christmas celebrations? Email [email protected] councils across England are scrapping their Christmas lights, markets and cutting back on trees amid the cost of living crisis as locals bemoan the lack of festive spirit.
Medway Council in Kent, which turned from the Conservatives in May, said it had made the 'sad and difficult' decision in order to save £75,000. In a statement, Beaminster Town Council Chairman Craig Monks said: 'Beaminster Town Council have made the decision not to host the Christmas Lights Festival in 2023.
'Unfortunately some staff and volunteers had encountered instances of verbal abuse during the course of the 2022 festival and we were saddened to also learn of this taking place during a number of other community events that we have hosted in the past.'Elsewhere, Leominster's switch-on was cancelled in June - as the council agreed that roadworks affecting the town centre could go ahead at the end of this year.
Two months later Braintree, in Essex, pulled their own switch-on, prompting market traders to claim that 'Christmas is cancelled'. 'Instead, we are looking to promote our small independent businesses in the town with their own events and helping to encourage our residents and tourists to shop local.' Bournemouth Council Bournemouth's festive lights draw thousands of people this year to the switch-on - but it will not be the same this yearIt was last week confirmed that Bournemouth Council's Christmas light switch on would not go ahead due to a shortfall in funds - sparking anger after £32,000 was spent on an art installation which was up for a matter of days before having to be removed.
Joe Abbess, 17, and Sunnah Khan, 12, drowned and eight other people were treated by paramedics after they were suspected of having been caught in a riptide next to the pier at the Dorset seaside resort. Bolton Council leader Nick Peel said: 'This programme represents a significant step up from the events the town held last year.
'Instead, we aim to provide residents and visitors a variety of free and low-cost activity throughout the Christmas period to make them accessible for everybody. St Ives in Cambridgeshire looked to be going dark this Christmas after the local council confirmed it could not afford to fund its usual lights.
'We need sponsors for the whole event, parts of the event and lamp posts. We need an additional £3,000.' Medway Council confirmed on Tuesday that it would be cancelling its annual switch-on and light displays due to a projected £17m overspend in its budget. 'We are also exploring public transport support in December to make it easier to get to our town centres and high streets.'
The council, which has a £47million black hole in its budget, has said it will not be providing or subsidising any trees outside of four main towns. 'Due to the current financial situation though the council is no longer in a position to subsidise community trees so costs would have to be met fully by the ward or group.
A statement from organisers Itison said: 'For this Christmas coming, we're putting Elfingrove on ice.
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