What about our Christmas lights? ‘Forgotten’ Lincoln businesses angry

Business owners have accused the council of being Scrooge, saying part of the High Street is has been left without Christmas lights.

The strip between the railway barriers and St Mark’s shopping area misses out on decorations every year.

Fed up shopkeepers and pub landlords who feel they’ve been put on the naughty list are preparing to hand a petition to the council.

Christmas lights were switched on last week in other parts of the High Street, with the town centre festively decorated.

However, the City of Lincoln Council say they can’t afford to extend the lights to that part of town.

The stretch of Lincoln high street between the railway and St Mark’s is devoid of Christmas lights | Photo: LDRS/The Lincolnite

Iain Jubbs, the landlord at the Treaty of Commerce, said: “This area of the high street gets left out for everything.

“The Cathedral doesn’t need extra lights and Christmas trees – it’s already an attractive area where people are going to go anyway.

“We pay our business rates the same as everyone else – it would be nice to see help for the small businesses down here.

“The council has gone to great expense to build the footbridge and pedestrianise the area, but they don’t seem to want to attract people here.

“There’s not a single light, and the only Christmas tree is one someone’s put up themselves.

“We’ve been here seven years, and I can’t remember a proper Christmas display in that time.”

David Cutten, CEO of ABC House Clearance, has collected signatures from business owners who want Christmas lights | Photo: LDRS/The Lincolnite

David Cutten, the CEO of ABC House Clearance, said: “We’ve got late night opening but it’s really dark down here at that time without Christmas lights.

“We were never asked whether we’d like Christmas lights. Why miss us out?

“I wouldn’t mind paying the electricity bill for outside our shop and I’m sure others would say the same – there’s no excuse.

“This is the heart of the city centre, even if the council don’t see it that way.”

He says that nearly every business has signed the petition, with the remaining few expected to add their signature soon.

Simon Walters, Director for Communities and Environment at City of Lincoln Council said: “Unfortunately, we are not in a financial position to extend the lights further down the High Street at this time.

“We understand the traders’ disappointment and would encourage shoppers coming into Lincoln to explore all areas of the city centre for their Christmas gifts and other shopping needs.”