Christchurch Christmas lights switch on cancelled due to bad weather
ANOTHER much-anticipated Christmas light switch-on event has been cancelled due to severe weather warnings in place for this weekend.
The Christchurch event, which takes place in the High Street and Saxon Square, was due to run from 11am tomorrow (Saturday), with activities, live music and an opportunity to meet Santa.
Street food and drink had also been planned, along with a craft and gift market at Druitt Hall.
Christchurch Town Council made the decision to call the event off in response to the Met Office’s warnings over Storm Bert, which will hit the UK tomorrow.
It is expected to bring heavy rain, snow, and strong winds to large swathes of the country, with alerts in place for Saturday and Sunday.
Chairman of the Christmas Working Group, Cllr Simon McCormack, said: “We are incredibly disappointed to have to cancel this year’s Christmas Lights Switch-On event, as we know how much it means to our community. However, the safety of our residents, visitors, and event staff must come first.
“Severe weather conditions predicted for Saturday would make hosting the event unsafe, but we look forward to welcoming everyone back for an even bigger and better event next year.”
The town’s Christmas lights will still be turned on this Saturday, organisers added.
A statement from the directors of ORA Events, Andy Daish and Chris Farr, added: “As the first Christmas lights event we’ve organised for Christchurch, we’ve put our heart and soul into making it a magical experience for the community. To have to cancel due to the severe weather forecast is incredibly disappointing.
“However, safety always come first and we’re incredibly grateful for the support and understanding of everyone who was looking forward to the event. This is only the beginning and we’re already channelling our efforts into making next year’s switch-on even more spectacular.”
The town council is already preparing for the event’s return in 2025, which will take place on Saturday 22nd November.
