Cardigan disappointment at English language Christmas lights

A town's decision to display English language Christmas lights rather than the Welsh version for the second year running is a festive blow to some.

A number of people in Cardigan, Ceredigion, said they wanted to see Nadolig Llawen this year, instead of only Merry Christmas.

"They should be bilingual, because this is Wales," said Rosemary Elias.

The town council said financial constraints had made it difficult to source Christmas lights in Welsh.

Town councillor John Adams Lewis said he had been promised bilingual decorations for this year.

He said he was "bitterly disappointed" that the Welsh language had not been prioritised.

"We're a historical town and Welsh should be given priority.

"That's our language. That's our mother language," he said.

There is evidence of Welsh language Christmas lights in other towns in the Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire areas.

Resident Donna Williams said "I'm a little bit surprised.

"Seeing as we're a Welsh language community it could have been in Welsh.

"I think local people with businesses in the town contributed money towards the lights around three or four years ago, so the town council could have asked the people of the town if they wanted in bilingually or just in English."

Cardigan town councillor Stephen Greenhalgh said: "We've been working hard to get hold of affordable Welsh language Christmas lights.

"Because of financial constraints that's been difficult. We're hoping by next year we'll be in a better situation and we're in contact with other councils who are looking at sourcing their Christmas lights."

The council will, however, be projecting Nadolig Llawen on its castle wall, he added.Resident Simon Whitehead said the signs "should definitely be bilingual".

Christine Cadwgan, who was visiting, said a lot of Welsh-speaking people lived in the area, and she thought the decorations should be in Welsh too.

"But being Scottish and not living anywhere where they speak Gaelic, if it was in Scotland I'd just have them in English," she added.

Cardigan mayor Sian Maehrlein said the town had manged to source Welsh language Christmas lights for next year.

"Nadolig Llawen will be up in bright lights in our town for next year," she said.