Ely Christmas lights switch-on cancelled for another year

A large-scale Christmas light switch-on has been cancelled for another year after a council said it was no longer "viable".

City of Ely Council said the costs were too high and it also had safety concerns around crowd control.

The council said it would still provide lights, but a scaled-down "illuminated festive fair" on 24 November.

"For a few minutes, it's a lot of money," said the council's tourism and town centre manager Anna Bennett.

She said councillors did not feel they had the funding to put on a large-scale event.

Ms Bennett said providing a stage cost in excess of £6,000 in 2019, and the council only had a budget of £5,000 for the whole event this year.

"We do an awful lot for the city and that was a costly one - it just got too big," she said.

The "low-key community based" alternative event that will take place has been organised by Ely Markets.

The lights and Christmas tree have been provided by the council and will be turned on at 17:30 GMT in the Market Square during the festive fair.

Ms Bennett said: "We've got dancers and choirs and lots of lovely hot food and gifts, so it's very festive and community-based.

"There's no big stage or anything like that."

This will be the fourth year Ely's large-scale Christmas lights switch-on event has been cancelled.

Some councils across the country are also choosing to cancel their switch-ons this year due to costs.

Ms Bennett said that if people did want to go to a bigger event then Cambridge was the nearest one.

She added that the council had done its "best to put something on for people" including an all-day Christmas grotto.

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