Lights out at Christmas

Date Published: 06-Nov-2009

THE plug could be pulled on Christmas lights for the city centre this year – unless outstanding debts for last year’s lights are paid.

Some lights have been erected on Williamsgate Street which have been paid for by businesses in the immediate vicinity, but there is a big question mark over lights in the heart of the city due to lack of funding.

The Galway Business Association, which was formerly called the Heart of Galway, has overseen the Christmas lights in the rest of the city centre for years and a few years ago invested €250,000 on purchasing state-of-the-art Christmas lights and decorations, with the help of Galway City Council.

The Mayor of Galway, Cllr Declan McDonnell, who is also the Chief Executive of the GCBA, confirmed to the Galway City Tribune last night that it could be “a dark Christmas” for Galway in more ways than one.

Next Wednesday, the Association is to meet to make a decision on whether they can afford to erect the lights in Shop Street and other areas this year because they have outstanding debts of over €20,000.

Mayor McDonnell said that he hoped the business people who still owe a contribution for last year’s Christmas lights would cough up to ensure that the city centre streets wouldn’t be left in the dark this year.

“We appreciate that everyone is suffering but we would also appreciate some contribution from those who haven’t paid for last year’s lights, which were a great success. Local businesses expect us to represent them on a number of issues or even help out on a planning problem, but yet they won’t pay towards the Christmas lights.

“Certainly footfall is low these weeks leading up to the Budget and people are reluctant to spend what little they have, but the business and retail community must stick together and ensure that the city is marketed to the best of its ability.

“We have a great city. There’s no doubt about it, but we must all spend a little to save businesses and jobs. There is an urgency to this situation. We have the lights, thanks to a substantial contribution from the Council, but we may not have the money now to erect them,” he said.

It is believed that the Galway City Business Association may be calling on the City Manager to give them a helping hand rather than abandon the Christmas lights.

A number of retailers are concerned at how quiet the city is and are looking to the Chamber of Commerce for leadership and incentives to ensure shoppers come into the city and shop local.

Michael Coyle, CEO of the Chamber, said he was very aware of how quiet the city was, businesswise, but he assured members and non-members that they were being proactive and were about to launch a new updated Christmas spend campaign.