Yahoo News Brentwood residents left 'bitterly disappointed' over 'pathetic' Christmas lights switch on as Storm Bert forces stalls to be cancelled
Thousands of Brentwood residents and locals gathered at the High Street on Saturday (November 23) for the annual Lighting Up Brentwood event. Some visitors, instead of leaving with Christmas cheer, felt 'bitterly disappointed' with the event, saying that it was "nowhere as good as it has been in previous years."
Lighting Up Brentwood comprised of stalls, a stage with different performances, different themed characters walking around and a pretty snowglobe with more performances inside. There was also a free ice rink and a Santa's grotto - but some residents were not pleased with the lights and stalls.
Some said that there was not a very good range of stalls, and some of the products being sold were very expensive. Others complained about the timing of the lights, which some said were "flickery". However, Brentwood Council explained that there were fewer stalls than normal with some cancelled or moved into the Baytree Centre due to safety concerns because of Storm Bert and 40mph winds.
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A worker at a business on Brentwood High Street said: "When the lights came on - which were a bit delayed - they seemed very flickery and a bit dim. We have had customers coming in saying that the event was nowhere near as good as it has been in previous years."
Brentwood resident Kathy Rawlings added: "Usually the high street is chock-a-block with stalls - but this year, half of the high street was really bare, and there were no stalls down Crown Street either. The lights were also pretty pathetic. Some stuff was really expensive, too - my daughter paid £8 for a tiny pina colada. I think that's atrocious."
Regarding the lights, Brentwood Council said that the lights used this year are actually a huge improvement on previous years. They said that any flickering issues with Essex County Council lamp columns will be reported.
Council wanted to 'ensure public safety'
Councillor David Kendall, Chair of the Finance and Resources Committee at Brentwood Borough Council, said: “Even with the bad weather, we were pleased that thousands of people came along to Lighting Up Brentwood to enjoy the free music, entertainment and the bustling shops and restaurants during this year’s Christmas lights switch-on.
"Despite the challenges posed by Storm Bert and the forecasted 40mph winds, the community’s understanding and support was greatly appreciated. To ensure public safety, we had to adjust our usual layout at the last minute to account for the predicted weather.
"This year, the High Street featured 27 outdoor stalls with wind-tested gazebos and 16 indoor stalls offering crafts, gifts, food, and drinks. Unfortunately, due to safety concerns, many craft stalls had to be moved into the Baytree Centre or cancelled, which we understand was disappointing for some residents.
“Regarding the High Street lights, they were switched on as planned at 5pm, with other areas such as Kings Road and Ongar Road lit earlier at 3.30pm due to the manual setting of columns. Any flickering issues with Essex County Council lamp columns will be reported, but I’m delighted to highlight the brighter, twinkling lights this year, funded by the Brentwood Connected BID, which were a significant improvement. Once again, we are grateful to everyone who came out to enjoy the event and made it a success despite the challenging weather conditions.”
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